


Doctor Doctor, How Does Your Garden Grow?

by Pleasedial123



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Haruno Sakura, Doctor Sakura, Established Relationship, Not epilogue complaint, Post-Series, Sakura finds herself, Sakura off doing her thing, Women Being Awesome, a couple original characters - Freeform, not Boruto Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2020-12-21 10:30:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21073427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pleasedial123/pseuds/Pleasedial123
Summary: Sakura finds herself far from home and she breathes easy for it. A mission to the far North-West, far far away from Konoha on her own and it's not hard, but it's exactly what she needs to find herself.She picks a few flowers as she goes (something to bring home when she returns to Konoha) just because she can. She'll present them to the man she loves who is waiting for her to return. It's the start of their garden and Sakura intends to make it grow





	1. Honey So Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Lowkey sequel to 'The Desert is a Harsh Mother'. You do not need to read that one before this one though.

“Hey Doctor! We’re going to find some girls! You should come!” a man laughed, tugging on Sakura’s arm.

“Girls?” Sakura asked blearily, squinting at the man in the dim bar light.

“Yeah, don’t you know, this place is famous for it’s whorehouses!”

“Girls,” Sakura repeated.

She downed her drink to the cheers of the men around her and then staggered to her feet.

“We know the best place,” the man, Hiroshi continued as he threw an arm over her shoulders, “The Butterfly has girls you can only dream of.”

“Geishas?” Sakura asked.

“Ha! No!” Hiroshi and their companions laughed, “Geisha are too stuck up for us! We mean real girls! Real whores, all soft skin and eager little mouths!”

Sakura frowned through her drunken haze, that wasn’t very nice to say, but maybe it was accurate.

“Well, lets go find these girls then,” she said, half supporting Hiroshi as they all stumbled out of the bar.

“Ha! You’re not so bad Doctor,” Hiroshi grinned, “For a ninja!”

Sakura nodded solemnly and accepted a flask that was squirreled into her hands, cheap rum burning down her throat.

“Go easy man,” Hiroshi laughed, “You’ve already drank us under the table! You won’t be able to get it up for the pretty girls if you keep that up!”

They all erupted in baying laughter when Sakura gave him the finger, being petty by tucking the flask into her haori. She had to watch her footing carefully or she’d look the fool when she stumbled.

The air was a tad chilly in the winter evening and Sakura was glad for the haori over her yukata. She sipped at the flask as they all tumbled down the street talking and laughing. Sakura hadn’t just learned medical skills from Tsunade, but also alcohol tolerance which was good to keep a ninja sharp but sucked when you wanted to get good and drunk and stay that way. Sakura’s chakra was so used to healing, so used to patching her up, that it was an actually task to stop it from burning the alcohol out of her blood and cleansing her liver automatically. Well, Sakura was keeping it at bay right now, quite enjoying the pleasant haze of the alcohol. 

“Hmm? Sorry I missed that,” Sakura said as she turned away from her inner focuses.

“I said we’re here!” Hiroshi threw an arm out grandly.

Sakura peered at the wooden inn framed by brilliant scarlet lanterns. 

“The Tantalizing Butterfly,” she read the sign with a squint, “Ah.”

“Come on!” Hiroshi said dragging her inside after the rest of the men, “Boss man gave us a good tip for all the trouble the journey was and it’s burning a hole in our pockets!”

Sakura hummed agreement and let herself be dragged in. The place was warm at least and smelled… well it smelled very perfume-y. Sakura got distracted as Hiroshi finally let go of her shoulders.

“Make sure he gets a pretty one!” he told a woman as he headed off for a room.

“Sir,” the woman smiled at him, “We have a room ready for you.”

“Ah, that’s probably a good idea,” Sakura yawned.

She followed the woman down the hall and up a neat narrow set of stairs. Sakura tilted her head as she started to hear faint moans and groans. She suddenly realized the woman was talking.

“-will have a girl ready for you soon,” the woman said cheerfully.

Sakura’s nose caught the sharp scent of blood. She was not like Kakashi or Naruto with their canine like senses but Sakura was a medic and a warrior and she parsed out the scent of blood in but a moment. A girl, quietly closing a door behind her looking ruffled and well fucked, bowed as they passed. 

“Ah!” Sakura said, arm darting out to snag the girl’s sleeve, “She’s going to come with me.”

“Ah, sir,” the lady leading her said flustered, “She needs time to freshen up and-”

“Oh no I don’t care about that,” Sakura said putting a hand on the girl’s lower back to lead her, “Which room is mine?”

The girls exchanged startled glances but said nothing else and showed her to a nice little room with a futon laid out. Sakura discreetly downed the rest of her flask as the door shut behind them. Sakura slid out of her Haori and tried to fold it with sluggish fingers before giving up and dumping it on the ground. She turned to the futon and found the girl sitting on it, kimono gone and looking quite lovely in the moonlight peeking through the window. The girl gave Sakura a smouldering look, hair falling about her shoulders, mussed. She really was a pretty girl, all honey colored hair and golden eyes and a cascade of warm freckles splashed across her face.

“Let me help you with your yukata sir,” the girl said, reaching for her and sliding a hand across her obi.

“Ah, it’s fine,” Sakura said taking a sharp inhalation through her nose. 

The sharp scent of blood lingered but didn’t smell overwhelming. Sakura stepped out of the reach of the hands and peered curiously at the girls back. 

“Ah, don’t mind that sir,” the girl said quickly, twisting to face her again.

“Lash marks?” Sakura squinted at her.

“Just some funs sir,” the girl smiled perfectly. 

They weren’t deep. Just barely broken skin and had already stopped bleeding. Sakura looked blearily down at the girl still kneeling on her futon and decided she could deal with it later.

Sakura flopped onto the bed. The girl immediately reached out, hand slipping under her Yukata to brush across her stomach.

“Hmm,” Sakura said rolling over and breaking the hold, yawning, “Good night.

“Wha-” the girl said startled.

Sakura tugged her down, wrapping an arm around her bare waist and pulling her close. She tucked her face in the girl’s shoulder and hummed.

“You’ll have to tell me what perfume you use,” Sakura yawned again, “It smells like Orchids. Ino would love it.”

Sakura closed her eyes and curled into the warmth of the girl.

“Sir, I really should go.”

“Stay,” Sakura said, half asleep.

Then Sakura was drifting off.

.--.

Sakura woke slowly, warm and comfortable. She had a hangover raging behind her temple but a bare thought burned it away. The girl in her arms didn’t stir even as Sakura pulled herself away carefully. She stretched her arms high above her head and felt her back crack satisfyingly. She stood on silent feet and stood to peer out the window. All she could see were other buildings, but she could also see it was quite early in the morning judging by the amount of light.

The whorehouse was silent.

Sakura silently turned to the scroll tucked in her yukata and rolled it open. A cloud of smoke and a quiet pop and she had her large square doctor’s case in hand. She used her medical pack when on duty or on a mission, but the smart looking civilian doctor case served her better when working with civilians. 

“Hey Honey,” Sakura said sitting beside the girl, “Sorry to wake you so early.

“Wha-” the girl blinked groggily.

Then she sat bolt upright.

“I’m sorry for falling asleep sir,” she flushed.

She was just as pretty as Sakura remembered her being last night. 

“Ah that’s fine, I pretty much didn’t give you any other option,” Sakura said clicking her case open.

“Sir?” the girl asked as Sakura rooted through her bag.

“Turn around and let me see that back, Honey,” Sakura said.

“Ah,” the girl hesitated.

“I’m a doctor,” Sakura said simply, “And they may not be deep but they can still get infected.”

The girl slowly turned. The lashes had scabbed up nice. Sakura popped the top on a jar of balm and held it around the girl so she could see it.

“I’m just going to rub this in. It will be cold.”

The girl nodded and Sakura took the permission, gooping it onto the wounds. It was a simply anti-bacterial cream with some mint crushed in it for a soothing smell but it helped reassure civilians that something was being done. They were so jumpy around purely chakra techniques, superstition and fear making them wary. Especially this far north in the middle of fucking nowhere country. She wasn’t even sure how close the nearest Ninja village was but it was quite distant. 

Sakura let chakra slip into the wound as she rubbed the balm in, carefully driving out any hint of infection and prompting her skin to knit back together. Not too fast but faster than she would have healed naturally. 

“Ah,” the girl shuddered, “That’s tingly.”

Sakura raised a brow slowly and cut the chakra flow to see if there was a change. Muscles slightly untensed. She shuddered again as Sakura tucked a bit more chakra beneath her skin.

“Huh,” Sakura said interested, “Well, that should be good.”

Sakura tucked her balm away and then grabbed a cloth to gently pat away excess balm so the girl’s kimono didn’t get too dirty from it. Sakura collected her haori as the girl pulled her clothes back on.

“Can you show me to where the girls stay?” Sakura asked, “I’d like to see if any of them have any injuries I can treat.”

“Ah,” the girl fidgeted, “Sir, customers aren’t allowed into the quarters.”

“Customers? But I’m just a doctor,” Sakura smiled, “And if it’s price you are worried about, I’m not charging.”

The girl stared at he, eyes wide, but collected her wits quick enough.

“Men aren’t supposed to,” she said slowly.

“Men? Well we have no problem then,” Sakura said.

The girl stared at her uncomprehendingly. Sakura raised as a brow at her and waited for her to get the hint.

Sakura was wearing a man’s dark grey yukata, her hair cut very short and slicked back from her face. Her seal was hidden beneath a faint dab of makeup. Round glasses sat on her face to add another layer. Like this she could pass as a very pretty man and could definitely pass as Not Haruno Sakura.

See the problem wasn’t being a woman, even if some civilians shied away from kunoichi more than their male counterparts, gender bias driving their opinions; the problem was being the war hero and renowned Haruno Sakura. Haruno Sakura who had helped fight a goddess, who had led men in war, who had apprenticed under THE Tsunade, who had surpassed her master before her twenties, who was the leading medic in the entire world. Haruno Sakura drew problems and people in like flies and that was really annoying on missions. 

So Sakura went in disguise. But even in disguise, a woman her age with medic skills and bright pink hair was too obvious. So Sakura dressed up as a pretty man in a civilian Doctor get-up and played the part decently well. It helped her do things like this as well; healing on the side without all the fuss. 

“You,” the girl said slowly, eyes widening.

Sakura smiled and pulled her yukata aside enough to show the bandages she used to wrap her, admittedly, small breast down. 

“Ah,” the girl blushed, “I’ll go ask mama if it’s okay.

Sakura tipped her head in thanks.

“I will pay for the company as well, considering I took up your entire night.”

The girl opened her mouth as if to argue but then closed her mouth and Sakura recognized the look of someone who wanted to argue but couldn’t afford to, literally. 

Sakura lingered in the downstairs hall as the girl vanished to talk to the madame. They both emerged a few minutes later, the elder woman squinting at Sakura with pursed lips.

“We can’t afford much,” the madame finally said giving Sakura and her case a good up and down, “But we do have a girl that has taken quite ill.”

“I told Honey here I don’t charge,” Sakura smiled friendly like.

The madame eyed her again and took in the rather nice yukata and the expensive leather doctor’s case.

“A woman doctor,” she finally said, “Who doesn’t charge. You must be on of those ninja folk.”

“You got me,” Sakura smiled easily even as the girl behind her gasped.

“As long as you bring nor cause any trouble,” the madame said, “We would be glad for your assistance.”

“Ah, no trouble here,” Sakura said, “Promise.”

The madame gave a sharp nod and sent the girl running ahead of her before she turned to lead Sakura down the halls to a quarter’s separate from the main building. There was the sound of activity behind the doors, a flurry of futons and clothes. 

When the Madame gave a sharp knock and then slid the door open most of the girls were dressed at least, one or two pulling on kimonos with sloppy haste. 

“Good morning mama!” they all chirped.

“Good morning girls. Sorry to interrupt you sleep,” the madame said curtly, “But we have a guest.”

Sakura looked at the array of tired girls knowing she had just disturbed their sleep. They would have finished with customers only a brief while ago and she felt bad for that but knew healing would do them better than sleeping for the majority. 

“The Doctor is here to look you over,” the madame said, “Be free with any ills you suffer and she will help you.”

“She,” a few girls muttered eyeing Sakura and her genial smile.

“Be good,” the madame said with one last sharp look.

Sakura glanced over the girls and about the room.

“Who’s first then?”

“Kana is worst off,” the girl who had spent the night with Sakura said immediately.

“Show me to her.”

“She’s in the second room so no one else gets sick,” the girl said, “Which is why we are all crammed in here.”

Sakura picked her way between the girls until they slid the doors open to a darkened room. A girl lay in a futon, breathing harshly.

“Stick with me please, Honey,” Sakura told the girl at her side idly, “I may need you to fetch things.”

Sakura kneeled beside the girl ignoring all the other girls crammed about the door watching. Her hands lit up green and all the girls gasped. Honey leaned closer, eyes widening as Sakura diagnosed the girl.

“Pneumonia,” Sakura declared easily, “Let’s burn that out of you. Honey, fetch me a basin please.”

She had a bowl before her quick enough and levered the sick girl up to start burning the infection out of her lungs. The girl gave a shuddering gasp and turned with Sakura’s hands to hack up mouthfuls of yellow-green mucus into the bowl. Only after she had hacked everything up did Sakura give here some water and make sure she’d gotten everything out of the girl. 

“You should be better in a day or two. But you will be weak from your body trying to fight the illness,” Sakura told the gaping girl who could now breath clearly, “So eat well and drink lots of water.”

Sakura stood and turned to the girls.

“Who is next? And I can do pretty much any ills and have seen them all, so no embarrassment.”

The girls lined up.

.--.

Sakura scrubbed her hands with a hum, letting the soapy water wash away. She’d spent all morning and early afternoon with the girls. There weren’t any big ills or injuries but a few had untreated conditions and being raised and working a whorehouse didn’t leave people in the best shape. 

Whispers must have spread through the district because runner came from other brothels after hearing there was a competent female doctor in the area. Sakura didn’t have time to do the thorough sweep of every place like she had done here, but agreed to take care of some of the worst ills.

“Your haori, sir,” Honey offered as she dried her hands.

“Thank you,” Sakura said, letting the girl help her pull it on, “Grab my bag and let’s be off.”

The girl levelled no complaints and even the madame just waved them off. Honey had a shawl wrapped around her shoulders as they strode down the street to the next patient. None of the brothels could afford the healing she gave but Sakura waved them off, accepting only coin for the balms she left behind or the food pressed into her distracted hands. 

“If I give you a list can you go down to the pharmacy?” Sakura asked as she was let into the back of another brothel.

“Yes, sir,” Honey bowed.

“Good,” Sakura scrawled, “Don’t let anyone cheat you now.”

She passed the girl a purse (what little payment she’d accepted) and the list and she bowed before she was off. Honey caught up to her barely an hour later with a cloth wrapped box and everything she’d asked for.

“Good job, hold this,” Sakura said getting her to hold a girl’s hair out of the way as she gave her a vaccine. 

Sakura always carried a great deal of medical supplies on her including vials of vaccines and the like. Big cities were rife with illness, especially places like brothels, and if Sakura could stop even the slightest bit of the spread she would. Speaking of up to date shots; Sakura looked at her assistant.

“How long have you been at The Butterfly?” she asked the girl.

“Since I was young,” Was the easy answer.

“How young?”

She shrugged her shoulders and Sakura let her client go only to wave her assistant into her spot.

“Do you know what these are?” she asked.

“Vaccines,” Honey said immediately, “They stop you from getting sick.”

“Have you ever had one?”

“They’re for rich folk,” Honey said.

“Hmm.” Sakura merely hummed. 

Sakura gave her the shots. Then they were off to the next client and the next and the next until it was dark and the red lanterns were being lit and the girls all had to go to work. 

Sakura stood on the street corner, her doctor’s bag in Honey’s hands and almost completely empty (but for her sealed emergencies supplies). Sakura watched her breath puff across the air, watched people moving to and fro in the red glow. She looked at Honey to see if she was antsy or in any way tired. But the girl stood there looking calm as could be and watching people pass with idle eyes, holding her shawl close. 

“Where is the best place to eat?”

“The Shinko,” Honey answered without waiting.

“Let’s head that way then.”

“They may not let me in,” the girl said, “They serve Geishas, not whores.”

“Hmm,” Sakura said.

They did let them in, only because Sakura gave the hostess her mildest smile that hid her teeth and would not be moved by dithering. When they were seated and food laid out Honey glanced at her only once before practically diving in. There was a sparkle in the girl’s eyes, something like awe in her fairly good poker face. She’d followed Sakura all day with a polite smile and no flinch despite the illnesses and sores and infections and all manner of ills Sakura had treated. She’d had steady hands and didn’t falter no matter what Sakura asked of her.

“Do you like The Butterfly?” Sakura finally asked as the food started to vanish.

“The other girls are nice. And Mama is much better than half the mamas here,” Honey said and there was no complaint in her voice, but neither was their enthusiasm.

“Were you sold to her?”

“Yes. My parents were too poor to feed me. It’s honest work.”

It was a bit of a challenge, a dart of her eyes, as if trying to see if Sakura would disagree.

“Honest work,” Sakura agreed, “I’ve done worse for food in my belly and a roof over my head.”

Honey smiled again, a small dimpled thing and finished off the last of their dinner. 

.--.

They headed back to the Tantalizing Butterfly late, long after the entertaining would be done and slipped down the warm halls. Honey bowed to Sakura before slipping off to her rooms and Sakura waited until she was tucked out of sight before going to the Madame. 

“How much is her contract worth?” Sakura asked, sitting across from the madam.

The woman scowled, lips pursing as she tapped her fingers on her desk. 

“Too much.”

“I doubt it,” Sakura hummed.

“Too much to be sent off to be a bedwarmer for ninja,” the woman corrected, eyes flinty, “I’ve heard some things about girls bought by ninja.”

She probably had; Sakura had heard horror stories as well. Ninja had strength and trauma in equal measure and often it was those too weak to stand up to them who suffered. Sakura had heard of such cases in Konoha; men ensnared by whores who brought them home only to get lost in PTSD and hurt them, men who thought they were entitled because they were strong or because they had done some good deeds. But Sakura had also seen good stories too. Ninja could carry a lot of trauma, a lot of dark emotions, but they were also often people who loved well and without faltering. 

Besides, whores and ninja were separated only by their skillset; they were all beholden, selling their bodies at command. 

“How much is too much,” Sakura said instead of any of that.

The woman scowled again but finally leaned back. She named a price because she was pragmatic and the truth was that all the girls had a price no matter the amount of care this woman might hold for them. Sakura unsealed her wallet and carefully counted out bills under the madam’s careful eyes.

“I will bring her to you in the morning,” the madam said after the money was tucked in a safe.

.--.

“Ready to go?” Sakura asked as Honey stepped out of the Butterfly in the early morning light. 

“Yes sir,” she said looking completely unsurprised at her new lot in life.

She wore her kimono, a shawl about her shoulders, and naught but a small package tucked in her arms. 

“Good, I’ve already been recruited for a job that will take us up towards the capital,” Sakura said leading the way, “We will need to get you better winter gear.”

And so Honey dutifully followed. Sakura led her to a store and bought her a solid pair of fur lined boots and then towards a tailor to buy her a nice thick haori instead of a shawl she had to hold in place. Next they went to the pharmacy and Sakura stocked up on as much medical supplies as she could.

“Anything else,” Sakura asked kindly as they stood before a teahouse sipping on strong green tea.

“No sir,” she said quickly.

“Name anything you need,” Sakura said a tad softer.

“I…May I pick up some birth control sir, and some supplies for my bleeding” she finally said, a faint flush across her nose, “The Butterfly provided my doses but now…”

“Of course,” Sakura said, “Always be safe during sex. And menstrual health is important.”

So they went back to the pharmacy and while Honey got what she needed Sakura picked her up a small pack in which she ferreted away a few sweets and snacks as well as a bedroll and a set of fresh underwear and socks. She even grabbed her a bar of soap and a cute little polar bear towel. A new toothbrush and a hairbrush followed, finished off with a pack of the strong green tea that Honey had seemed to enjoy more than anything so far. When Sakura handed it over to Honey the girl paused mouth gaping just the slightest as she peeked at all the supplies. 

Sakura tilted her head at the biggest show of emotional reaction yet as Honey’s eyes shone. 

“Thank you,” Honey said, voice smooth despite the edge of tears.

“You let me know if you need anything,” Sakura said simply as Honey refused to let the tears fall, “Now let’s go, my client is waiting.”

The client was indeed waiting and was glad to see Sakura. She followed him into an office to finalize the contract, signing with a print of blood and accepting the first half of payment while Honey subtly gaped at their surroundings. The Lord’s manor was quite nice, but it was nothing compared to the ones in the more prosperous countries. Sakura had been in far nicer ones but she didn’t say this out loud. Not quite polite to insult a client.

“What is it he is paying you to do?” Honey asked as they stood in the courtyard watching men scramble around them.

“His daughter is being sent to court,” Sakura told her, watching a man struggle to stow a trunk in a wagon, “We are to guard her on her journey there.”

Honey nodded once and kept watching with interested eyes as the last of the packing was done and the caravan got ready to set out. Sakura heard her breath catch and turned to see what caught her attention. The daughter was walking to the carriage and looking absolutely stunning. Her hair was long and thick, her eyes large and ever clear blue, and her kimono an absolute masterpiece. 

“She’s a beauty,” Sakura said thoughtfully, “Her Father is sending her to be the Daimyo’s third concubine.”

“So she’s being …sold to the Daimyo?” Honey asked.

“Pretty much. Whores and Noblewomen, all that’s different is their clothes and the food they eat,” Sakura smiled without humor. 

Sakura watched as the bundled the girl away and the caravan started moving.

“Time to go,” Sakura said.

She swept Honey up before the girl could even squeak in protest and set her on the seat of the wagon beside the man driving it.

“She’ll ride with you,” Sakura said, smiling at the man and putting a tad of a threat into it.

He nodded once quickly and focused his eyes on the road even as Honey clutched her bag and stared about wide-eyed. Sakura took up position striding along side the carriage and winked when clear blue eyes peeked at her from behind curtains.

.--.

Sakura set her tent up close enough to the camp to sense everything but just far enough away it was hidden. The camouflage canvas blended in eerily well with the old gnarled trees and Sakura was content that no one would notice it until they were upon it. 

The caravan unpacked quickly, a large tent being raised for the noblewoman and her servants while everyone else set up their own tents or tucked themselves beneath wagons. Cooks started fires and soon the smell of food lingered in the air as the sun started to droop below the horizon. 

Sakura found Honey standing in the midst of the camp, smiling politely at a young guard who was blushing as he flirted with her.

“Honey,” Sakura said, “Have you eaten.”

“No sir,” Honey said, immediately looking to Sakura.

“Shoo,” Sakura told the young man.

The kid took a quick darting at Sakura’s clothes, giving her yukata and haori a up and down, his eyes lingering on her bubble-gum pink hair. When Sakura sharpened her smile into something closer to a snarl he swallowed and stumbled off.

“Don’t let any of them mess with you,” Sakura told the girl.

“And if I want them too?” Honey asked, peeking up at her through her lashes, face calm.

“Fuck who you want,” Sakura said, “Or fuck with who you want. But if anyone does anything you don’t want you come tell me and I will set them straight.”

“Yes sir,” Honey said, a slight smile at the corner of her mouth. 

They had a simple dinner tucked in a circle of the more important men of the camp, one being on of the Lord’s Ministers sent on his behalf to the court, the other a head guardsmen. Both knew what Sakura was there for an eyed her with a good degree of caution. Then Sakura showed Honey the way to their tent in the dark.

The Konoha issued tent was top quality made to hide people and keep light and heat in. It was, as such, quite small but they both fit easily enough with even some extra space. The tents were made for two grown men in mind and neither honey nor Sakura were very large compared to that. 

“Let me know if you need more layers,” Sakura told the girl once they were both bundled in their bedrolls, “It is only going to get colder the farther north into the mountains we travel. We might even see snow before the end.”

“Yes sir.”

Sakura lay in the darkness for a moment and contemplated her next question.

“Do you mind if I ask you name, Honey?” Sakura asked quietly.

The girl was silent for a long time. 

“Should you not have asked before you bought me?” she asked, and there was a sliver of amusement in her tone.

“Names should be given, not bought,” Sakura told her, “I would like to have yours, but you do not have to give it to me.”

Honey was quiet again.

“My name,” she finally said, hesitating, “Is Honey. Because it is what you gave me.”

“Okay,” Sakura smiled into the darkness, “Would you like my name?”

“Only if you will give it,” was Honey’s calm answer.

Sakura chuckled at having her own words turned on her. 

“For now then, call me Sakumo,” Sakura said. 

“Of course, sir.”

Sakura smiled.

.--.


	2. As Dangerous as a Mountain Pass

Like many missions Sakura had been on, this one went to hell. The life of a ninja was unpredictable and so their missions tended to be as well. Team Seven’s missions especially tended to go wrong whenever physically possible; it was a curse Sakura liked to mutter sometimes. 

The first week passed easily, Honey riding on the wagon and Sakura patrolling the caravan still looking the part of a Doctor and unnerving all the guardsmen by smiling very carefully at them. 

It snowed on the eighth day and the noblewoman insisted on setting camp up earlier in the day because of the chill that grew as they made it further into a mountain pass. Sakura personally thought it was because the noblewoman was quite taken with the scenery draped in untouched white. To back up this idea the woman and her servants insisted on a stroll about the camp, gazing at frosted creeks and snow bowed trees and the rising white mountains. The entourage was a spot of brilliant color in the monochrome world and Sakura and a majority of the camp watched them. 

It was Honey who first spotted the trouble.

“Sir,” Honey said nearly shrill, tugging on Sakura’s hand. 

There was a silent thread of fear in her voice and Sakura looked up. 

“For fuck’s sake,” Sakura cursed. 

The side of the mountain was sloughing off; an avalanche barreling down on them with silent wings. A guard noticed it at that moment and the shouting started.

“Stay in position,” Sakura barked at the Minister who was yelling to get the Noblewoman out of the area. 

The Head guardsmen had already leapt onto a horse and grabbed the woman about the waist, wasting no times in urging his horse to bolt trying to get her to safety.

“Fuck,” Sakura cursed.

It didn’t seem all that impossible for an avalanche to happen near them, but this one was heading dead for them just after they had stopped. Sakura was paranoid by nature as were all ninja, and she thought this reeked of a trap. 

Sakura leapt away from the group, bounding towards the incoming avalanche.

“SHANARO!” 

Her fist hit the ground with the force of an earthquake. The earth leapt up in front of her like a wall, flipped and forced up by sheer strength and minor earth manipulation. The wall held steady even as the whole force of an avalanche hit it. The snows thundered against it and streamed around it; but there wasn’t that much snow this early in the season (once again backing up her suspicions) and her wall was imbued with earth chakra to hold it steady, diverting the snow around the camp. 

When the last of the snow rumbled around them Sakura let the wall collapse and spun towards the camp. Nearly every man and woman behind her was gaping, completely unharmed. 

“Stay here! Guards up!” Sakura barked her order.

An earth clone rose silently from the ground with a hand sign and gave Sakura a nod before also taking up guard.

Sakura spared Honey a hair ruffle for the warning before she was off, leaping through the trees and over the snow in search of the noblewoman and her guard. 

.--.

Sakura spiraled through the air, snow glistening and glittering around her as she kicked it up in her wake. The guard should not have gotten too far and Sakura caught sight of them as quickly as she had hoped. But she found them surrounded like she had not hoped.

“Stand down!” one of the white dressed men shouted as Sakura landed in the clearing with barely a sound.

The noblewoman in his grips had no tears in her eyes but there was a tug of panic at the corners of her mouth. She kept up the stoic look of a noblewoman bored of the world but Sakura could see her shake. The head guardsman made a pretty sight splayed in the snow and red blooming around him like a carpet of the darkest roses. His chest still rose and fell, his eyes wide and open, but the sword through his stomach kept him from moving. 

Four people in white clothes to camouflage against the snow stood loosely arrayed, the leader holding the noblewoman hostage.

“I told you the Lord would hire a shinobi to protect his daughter,” one man said, eyeing Sakura carefully.

“He did,” another agreed, “But it looks like just the one so lucky us. Seems the North Lord thinks the Daimyo _not_ getting a concubine is worth more than this Lord thought sending his daughter would be.”

“The North lord?” the noblewoman asked sharply despite the knife at her throat, “The Daimyo will see him and you punished for this transgression.”

“Not if he doesn’t hear about it,” the man holding her hostage said cheerfully.

“After all, there was an avalanche, tragic but not surprising in this area,” another one said, smiling, “It must have taken out at least half the camp and we can make it seem like it took out all of it.”

The noblewoman swallowed at those words while still trying to look strong and Sakura had heard enough.

“Release my charge,” Sakura said quietly.

“Or what?” one of them laughed, “Dude, you’re outnumbered.”

“Don’t underestimate your opponent, it’s a bad habit,” another scolded the laughing man; this one with much more cautious posture and a sword at their waist. 

They had also looked so uneasy at the mention of killing everyone in the camp. This one was the weak-point in the team work Sakura knew instantly. 

Sakura was tired of the banter. She cracked her knuckles in a blatant threat, eyes never leaving the knife around the noblewoman’s throat. In the next instant she was behind the leader, breaking his arm in three places and ripping her charge from his howling arms. A Sakura clone of earth heaved itself out of the ground, shaking snow away and grabbed their charge before bolting to safety. 

“Ah! Fuck!” the leader howled, cradling his broken arm.

“Shit! He’s fast!” another hissed crowding their partner back. 

“He’s still outnumbered!” the laughing one yelled, “Get him!”

Sakura watched them flicker towards her and faced them down with a calm face.

When she was younger Sakura had been ruled by her emotions, ruled by her temper. She’d always felt strongly and some claimed that was a weakness. But Team Seven had never shied away from feeling; they’d never tried to tear their emotions out by the root to try and get rid of some perceived weakness (not the true Team Seven at least, Sasuke the younger had made mistakes that took him away from Team Seven but Sasuke the adult was a different animal).

These days, after a war had cracked her open to the marrow and tried to bleed her dry, Sakura still had all the passion and feelings she had had as a child, but now she had the control. Emotions were only a weakness if you let them lead you by the nose; you needed to aim them properly to make them a strength.

So these days Sakura wielded her rage with her fists.

The first blow she delivered shattered a man’s femur so completely she doubted he would ever walk again even if he didn’t have to amputate the leg. This was the man who had made the comment about annihilating the camp. His scream was so shrill it drowned out the sound of blood in Sakura’s ears. The next man to come at Sakura did so automatically, muscle memory driving his katas even as his eyes blew wide with fear. Sakura threw him through three trees with a spinning kick and he did not rise. The last two, the Leader and the one who had spoke of caution broke off their attacks to put distance between them and Sakura’s fists. 

For a second the clearing was filled with only the shrill whines of the man with the destroyed femur.

“What?” the one who had spoke of caution breathed, something like fear making their voice thin, “Th-that was….”

“You made a mistake,” Sakura said, “In underestimating me. Except you.”

Sakura pointed at the cautious one with some admiration. 

Sakura was a monster. All of Team Seven were monsters. She’d grew up and she’d never stopped growing even when her year mates and other ninja hit a ceiling. Most ninja bloomed and blossomed and found their niche by the time they hit eighteen. Some kept getting stronger by smaller and smaller degrees every year until they started downhill. But Sakura…now Sakura had hit eighteen and kept leaping forwards. By the time she was twenty she’d punched a goddess in the face, had surpassed her Master, and kept running with it. Sakura had kept pace with the Kyuubi jinchuriki who had access to a beast’s worth of chakra and the Uchiha with two doujutsu and the strength of his brother in his veins. Sakura, the silly pink haired civilian girl, had got to her feet, started running forward, and never stopped. 

So Sakura was a monster. She accepted that, liked it even. These days she knew she outclassed people so badly it wasn’t even funny. These people in front of her were high chunin at least, maybe even jonin with a specialty, and Sakura had taken two out of their fight before they could even take their first battle-lusting breath. 

There was a reason Sakura took missions solo these days; she was strong enough only someone about S-rank would require her having back-up.

This meant Sakura was allowed to take joy in her fights, was allowed to be amused by how her opponents always underestimated her, was allowed to respect or admire he opponents; because none of that would get her killed. And if it did that was just luck, not skill. Sakura may have been a tad vain and arrogant as well, but she thought she was rightly allowed to be so these days.

“Isshin,” the cautious one said sounding unsure and watching Sakura like she was a rabid animal; they still hadn’t drawn their sword

The Leader, Isshin, clutched his broken arm closed and sneered at them.

“Tch. What are you a coward?”

“No, I’m just not an idiot,” the cautious one hissed. 

“We won’t get paid if the girl doesn’t die.”

“Money isn’t worth our lives!” 

Sakura felt respect go up a notch. Here was someone who knew their limits, one who didn’t let their pride or greed drive them. Sakura looked for any village symbol and found none, which didn’t always mean much, but might explain why a loose team was so far away from a village up in these cold winter mountains. Village ninja didn’t often stray too far from their own country unless it was important; it left them too vulnerable. The closest village to here would be the Village Hidden in the Swamps and they definitely weren’t from there judging by their accents. 

The Leader seemed to be deciding between listening to the cautious one and listening to his pride. He chose his pride in the end and got one lunge in before Sakura crushed his throat beneath her geta sandal. 

“I surrender!” the cautious one said, hands in the air.

“Are you a missing-nin?” Sakura asked curiously as she wiped blood from her sandal into the snow. 

“No. I’m just a retired warrior,” they said cautiously, “I’m not usually with this lot but it’s been a hard year up further north and I had to turn to my skills to make money.”

“Fair enough,” Sakura said.

She wandered over to the forgotten guardsman and found his breathing laboured, his eyes hazy as he sweated. Sakura put a hand on his stomach and let medical chakra slip into him. When she ripped the sword out she stitched his intestines together, flushed his cavity, and then burned the wound away in the space of a heartbeat.

The cautious enemy she’d left at her back gave a sharp inhalation of shock over that little show but didn’t do anything else, like strike at Sakura’s wide-open back. Sakura smiled, pleased her instincts had proven correct about this one. 

Sakura took one last look at the guardsman and saw that he had passed out, probably from pain when she pulled the sword out. She turned to face the opponents she’d just defeated and found the one who had surrendered had taken off her the white wraps from her head and was on one knee, head bowed, thick white curls falling freely. 

“I am Kuchinashi, sir! I am in your debt!”

“Ah, no debt here,” Sakura smiled.

“You gave me my life. I am grateful sir.”

“No, your caution did that,” Sakura said, “You are a smart woman, Kuchinashi.”

“Sir! Let me follow you and help you complete your mission to apologize for my transgression against you.”

“Sure,” Sakura smiled as she grabbed the guard and hauled him up over her shoulder. 

He was tacky with blood but his breathing had already steadied and his heartbeat was strong.

“It will help us report to the Daimyo about the plotting of this North Lord if you give your testimony,” Sakura said. 

Sakura looked over at the men scattered about the clearing. The Leader was dead, the one she’d put through three trees would have a ruined spine and crushed lungs and might have already drowned on his own blood. The one with the femur had passed out from the pain. She considered them all a moment and then turned to the woman still kneeling at her feet.

“Did you care for your companions?”

“They were merely partners for the mission,” the woman shook her head, “I was recruited for the job by the one whose throat you crushed when I was looking for work. I knew him for a week and the others less than that.”

“Hmm. Well, let’s go then. And please, call me Sakumo.”

She left the one with the broken femur, the one who had spoke about killing the camp so easily, to die from either the elements or his wounds. Kuchinashi followed without looking back.

.--.

Sakura’s earth clones had kept the camp calm and ordered, guards set up in loose formation looking outward for any enemies. The Noblewoman had been delivered into her ladies’ arms and they had bundled her away carefully into the tent. Sakura delivered the head guardsman into the arms of his men and ignored their relieved faces to look for the Minister.

“The enemy has been dealt with,” she reported, “And we have a new ally for the journey. You might want to hear her information about who sent the attack.”

The Minister floundered for only a moment before taking Kuchinashi into his tent to make a report. 

“Sir!”

Sakura looked up to find Honey running towards her. The girl’s face was a careful façade, not betraying a hint of anything she felt but she had a bit of a frantic flutter to her hands.

“Honey, good job spotting the initial attack,” Sakura smiled.

“Oh but sir, are you unharmed? You have …blood…” she waved at Sakura’s haori hands shaking just the slightest. 

“Not even a scratch on me,” Sakura smiled warmly, “Are you okay? Not too shook up?”

“No sir,” she said quickly, “I knew you would look out for us.”

Sakura warmed at the words and reached out to ruffle her hair. Sakura caught the faint hint of a flush on the girl’s cheeks before she looked away, then she insisted on taking Sakura’s haori to try and scrub the blood out of.

“Ah,” Sakura said, “That would be nice. Thank you.”

So Honey bundled the haori off to a cold stream with instructions not to freeze herself.

Sakura rubbed her chin thoughtfully before deciding with everyone else busy she’d best get the men settled and starting camp; reassure those who were still twitchy. They’d stay here for the night now that the danger was done and worry about getting around the snows boxing them in tomorrow.

When Kuchinashi found her she was sitting in a circle of men around a fire close to the noblewoman’s tent while the Head Guardsman lifted his shirt to show the completely healed stab wound and regaled his men with the tale of how the good Doctor had healed him with a miracle.

“Sir,” Kuchinashi said, kneeling just behind Sakura again.

“Ah, hello again,” Sakura tilted her head just enough to see her, “Come join us.”

The woman did so cautiously and drew a few eyes as she did.

“Who’s this?” one of the guards asked curiously if not cautiously.

“This is Kuchinashi, she got caught up in some bad business but is on our side,” Sakura introduced, “She’s a samurai.”

Kuchinashi glanced at Sakura, surprise plain on her face, but then she was bombarded by questions as all the young impressionable guardsman noticed her sword and realized she might actually be a samurai.

Sakura smiled at let them distract the woman while Sakura took a good look at her. She had chakra that was for sure and had some of the training of a shinobi, but it was easy to tell she had been raised as a samurai. The sword at her waist had a scuffed scabbard and worn hilt but that didn’t hide the good make of it. It was also in her posture, in the way she deferred to Sakura; ninja did things different than those honorable samurai. 

Sakura watched the woman try to answer all the questions thrown at her despite being flustered, eyes darting to Sakura every once in a while as if for permission, but Sakura kept the bland smile up. Kuchinashi was a pretty woman with snow white hair that fell in a tumble of curls, eyes the color of wood smoke, and a mouth that had slight smile lines at the corners. Sakura wondered how hard the year had been up North to drive a woman who had ‘retired’ into using her skills.

Not that Sakura believed the retired line. She was probably just past thirty with calloused hands and skin that said she worked in the sun. Runaway, Sakura thought. From clan or Lord or disaster she didn’t know, but runaway all the same; why else would a samurai with chakra training be so far North, so far way from Samurai or shinobi country. 

Well, it wasn’t Sakura’s business, nor her concern.

Honey found them a minute later, sitting beside Sakura as one of the men gave way for her, knowing that Honey was Sakura’s. The man who gave his seat of for Honey went and fetched each of them a bowl of warm stew, fetching another for Kuchinashi just as quickly.

He flushed when Honey thanked him and Sakura hid a smile in her bowl. 

That night Honey and Kuchinashi gave each other polite nods when Sakura introduced them both by name. When Sakura told Kuchinashi she could bunk with them but it would be a squishy the samurai lit with a deep flush but followed them.

“I have your haori hanging near a fire to dry,” Honey told Sakura, “Do you have another yukata to wear while I wash this one? The blood soaked through.”

Sakura looked at the small splash of blood across the shoulder of her grey yukata but shook her head. She was wearing all her main layers right now, only an extra pair of pants and shirt tucked away. She could have went to those and ditched the civilian Doctor outfit but she liked this persona.

“It won’t be noticeable with the haori back on,” Sakura said.

Honey gave a slight nod and when Sakura requested it she slipped away to hunt down an extra blanket or something for Kuchinashi.

“Do you have any supplies?” Sakura asked.

“We left our things a few kilometers up the road in a cave,” Kuchinashi said, “I will retrieve them tomorrow.”

“Good,” Sakura said, “Here. These should work for tonight.”

Kuchinashi took the offered pants and long thermal shirt. The white clothing that helped her and her team blend into the snows was a cheap hastily sewn thing and while she had a layer under that it wouldn’t be enough. They must have changed, done the ambush, and planned to go immediately get changed. Kuchinashi ducked behind a tree to change, keeping the white layer on the outside for more warmth despite the shitty craftsmanship. 

“Found a blanket,” Honey said as she returned, “But it’s quite thin.”

“We’ll have to share blankets,” Sakura shrugged, “it’s going to be a tight fit anyways so we will be able to keep each other warm.”

Kuchinashi blushed again, looking at the ground, but levelled no complains as Honey slid into the low tent to shuffle all the bedding into one large layer. Sakura slid in next and tucked herself in the middle. Kuchinashi entered after only a moment’s hesitation and zipped the tent shut behind her. It was a tight fit, all their arms pressed together as they laid on their back. For a moment they were still. Then Sakura huffed because she was not a back sleeper. She rolled onto her side, flopped an arm over Honey’s waist and pulled her close. Honey curled close to her, tucking her face in Sakura’s shoulder and relaxed. 

Sakura could practically feel Kuchinashi’s tension at her back. Sakura didn’t know what the woman was expecting but the longer they all lay still the more she started relaxing. Sakura felt Honey drift off and listened to the sounds of the camp quieting as most people started to fall asleep. Finally Kuchinashi relaxed completely and scooted so that she was on her side, hand pressing to Sakura’s back as if to reassure herself. 

Sakura smiled in the dark and finally let herself fall asleep.

.--.

Sakura pulled her arm across her body, hand pulling at her elbow to fully stretch it.

“Everything secured?” Sakura asked the wagon driver as she cracked her neck.

“Yes sir,” the man said, “Not sure what you have in mind though. The wheels will get stuck in the snow immediately.”

The avalanche had missed everyone thanks to Sakura’s deflection, but it had neatly trapped them, huge ridges of snow cutting to either side of them across the narrow mountain road. 

“The men and oxen can make it over the snow,” Sakura had told them when the men were trying to puzzle out how to get over the snow, “I’ll handle the gear.

Sure she could have maybe used earth jutsu or tried to clear the snow, but that would use a lot of chakra as well as make the snow towering around them unstable. It would also have consequences for the ground in the spring when the snow thawed away if she shifted to much earth. They’d already sent a guard back the way they came to let people know the pass was blocked at the moment; a team of men to dig it out would show up in a week or so most likely. 

Sakura stretched one last time, twisting so her back cracked. Under the eyes of all the curious guards, and the small group of ladies and their noblewoman (and the head guard who was sticking close to the noblewoman like glue), Sakura grabbed the edge of the first cart, careful to get a grip on a well supported part of the frame.

“And heave,” Sakura said cheerfully. 

The yelps and gasps of shock when she lifted it clear off the ground as easy as man lifted a bag of grain still made her grin. She’d never get tired of surprising people with her monstrous strength. 

She got everything moved quickly under the gaping of the caravan and soon they were back on course. From the carriage, the noblewoman watched Sakura openly, curtains pulled back. Sakura gave her a smile.

.--.

The noblewoman really was quite pretty. All straight black hair and ever clear blue eyes. But it was more than that; it was the tilt of her face, the angle of her neck, the grace she moved with. There was a reason the Daiymo was interested in her Sakura thought. 

“Are your ladies trying to boil you?” Sakura asked, already shrugging out of her haori.

The Noblewoman’s tent was heated with a small portable stove, walls thick, and ground layered with carpet. The woman herself was still in her multilayered kimono. She must have been as hot as Sakura felt.

“They were worried I would take with an illness after my brief kidnapping,” the woman said softly, kindly, face calm and gentle.

“I suppose that’s fair. It was rather brief though,” Sakura said.

“It was. Thanks to you,” she bowed her head.

Sakura watched long silken strands drag over her shoulder and fall so smoothly against her cheek before the woman straightened her head. She did not offer a smile but her face was set not unkindly. Sakura supposed she had to smile often enough for the men around them that she didn’t when she didn’t have too. Sakura felt that. Women, even Kunoichi, were supposed to look soft and beautiful and open for any man they passed. ‘You look prettier if you smile’ echoed through Sakura’s head and she supposed it had probably echoed through the Noblewoman’s as well. No matter their station, noble or destitute, women were expected to always be pliant and pretty for men. 

“Did you call me in just to thank me?” Sakura asked looking to the tent door and knowing the dismissed ladies were fluttering outside like worried birds.

“Perhaps,” the noblewoman said, waving Sakura to a low table and a cushion.

Sakura sat and watched the noblewoman serve her tea. Well, Sakura could say this woman was being kept in style even for the journey. It was expected of a noble family sending their daughter to the Daimyo to treat her thus. 

“Perhaps,” Sakura echoed, “Or maybe you had a request of me.”

The woman sipped her tea and met Sakura’s eyes calmly.

“Yeah,” Sakura nodded, “You definitely do. I think it has to do with how you don’t want to join the Daimyo in his bed.”

This at least elicited a response and the woman flushed, calm countenance broken for a moment.

“That’s…” she struggled, “How could you possible know that?”

“Shinobi doesn’t take jobs blindly,” Sakura said, “I knew we might meet opposition since this will be seen as a political match. I also spent some time gathering intel before meeting your father. Just the fact he was so flustered about this gave me more than enough info. Neither of you wants this but I suppose the Daimyo is putting pressure on your father. Maybe hints of raised taxes?”

The woman was silent a moment.

“I love my father, he has never treated me anything less than good,” the woman finally said, looking to her tea, “But I am only a daughter, it is expected I will be matched up, married off. Being the Daimyo’s concubine is prestigious. But my father had hoped to hold out to gain me the title of wife. It was not to be and he is not sorry for sending me off, only sorry he is sending me off for something not quite as prestigious as he had wanted.”

“Ah, so he doesn’t mind giving you away, he’s just upset at the price paid,” Sakura snorted, “Men. Pigs, the lot of them.”

The woman stared at her, eyes widened and surprise in her features, as if she was shocked to hear how Sakura talked. There was surprise but no disapproval and Sakura smiled at her with her teeth; not a pretty smile but a sort of smug one. Sakura was strong enough she could talk about anyone however she wanted. If she wanted to call a Daimyo of a small nation a pig, she could. Konoha didn’t give a fuck about a small non-shinobi affiliated Daiymo or it’s lords, especially not if it somehow offended Sakura. Sakura could spit in his face and Konoha would give her a tsk but no punishment and ignore any outrage on the Daimyo’s part; in their eyes Haruno Sakura was a powerful piece of their own.

“So, you don’t want in his bed,” Sakura said, “And you think maybe I could help.”

“I will do my duty,” the woman said chin set, “But if I perhaps had another choice…”

“And you think I could give you that choice?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your plan then? You must have one.”

“Can you fake my death?”

Sakura blinked and tilted her head. Suddenly this conversation had gotten much more interesting. Sakura had thought maybe the woman would ask Sakura to carry her off like a noble samurai. Maybe even steal her away in the night. 

“Fake your death?”

“And take me away,” the woman nodded decisively, “Then my father would suffer no consequences and no one would pursue.”

“…if I did that you wouldn’t be a noblewoman anymore,” Sakura said, “You’d have nothing but the clothes on your back. Could you survive like that?”

“No,” the woman admitted easily, “I would need help.”

Sakura let out a bark of surprised laughter. It was refreshing to meet someone so very open about their own skills and limitations. 

“But if you took me back to your ninja village, I could work,” the woman said, “I would learn whatever skills I need to be useful. I have heard villages always need trained workers; I am highly educated from personal tutors. I could find a place there.”

Perhaps she was right. If Sakura dropped her off in a village she’d fail, she’d find herself on the street or on her back in a brothel quite quickly. But if Sakura took her back to Konoha, a ninja village that wasn’t like the rest of the non-shinobi villages out there and afforded women (and educated ones at that) to do more than just marry or fuck their way to a living. She’d need backing of course, some help, but that was exactly why she was asking Sakura.

“I can pay you to escort me there, like a mission,” the woman said sipping her tea calmly again.

“Why would you ask me?” Sakura asked, “Your head guardsman is loyal, most likely more to you than your father. If you paid him to take you away, even just asked, he probably would.”

“Perhaps he could, but then it would be obvious what had happened. I need a ninja’s skills to help me get away without letting the Daimyo’s wrath fall on my father.”

“And you care enough about him to try and save him that trouble?”

“He is my father.”

“Just because he is family does not mean you have a responsibility to him,” Sakura said.

She knew the ingrained sense of filial duty in most people, and she didn’t disagree with it completely, but it was the justification for a lot of abuse and suffering. In certain situations, no family ties were worth the pain. 

“No,” the woman said calmly but like steel, “I want no suspicion to fall on him.”

“Hmm.” Sakura said, “Well, I’ll think about it.”

Some of the calm broke again and the woman looked at Sakura with a touch of worry.

“You won’t accept the request? I can pay.”

“As I said, I’ll think about it,” Sakura stood, “It would be difficult. I will get back to you on my decision.”

Sakura watched her carefully as the woman took a calm breath and then nodded gracefully.

“Of course. Thank you for the conversation Sakumo,” the woman bowed, “And when in private, please call me Risu.”

“Thank you Risu,” Sakura smiled at her.

Sakura liked her. She was smart as a whip hidden behind all that pretty. Sakura would give her request due consideration.

.--.


	3. Consequences of Beauty

The Daimyo’s palace was extravagant. This small time Daimyo, hidden so far up North that even shinobi rarely came up this way, was a man obsessed with beauty. His palace was beautiful, his gardens more so, and his concubines even more so. It was why Risu had been called from south to join him; another beautiful thing for his collection.

“You’re a pretty thing,” the Daiymo said to Sakura as she gave a short bow.

“Thank you,” Sakura gave him a polite smile.

He eyed her, eyes lingering on her hair and Sakura returned the look. He was a pretty man as well, not too old and not yet gone to fat. When Risu stepped out of the wagon though, Sakura lost all of the Lord’s attention.

“Ah! Such a beauty! Rumors were not untrue then,” he said a wide pleased smile stretching across his face, “Welcome to my palace.”

Risu bowed low and the man watched her with wide hungry eyes. Sakura stepped back beside Honey and Kuchinashi and watched them. The man said a few more pretty words, some sort of welcome, and Risu responded with perfect words in return, a soft pretty smile stretched almost grimly across her lips. Sakura watched the way Risu’s eyes refused to focus on the man, as if trying to deny that this was her future. 

“Sir if you would follow me.”

Sakura turned to peer at a man bowing to her.

“I am to take you to your rooms,” the man said, head bowed.

“Oh? Are we invited to stay?” Sakura asked curiously.

“My lord has offered you’re the room for as long as you would like to rest after such a journey.”

“Lead the way then,” Sakura said.

He led them through polished halls until they were in a far wing that must be reserved for guests. He bowed them into a large wide room and Sakura thanked him even as Honey shut the door in his face.

“Well, settle in,” Sakura said as moved to open the window, “We’ll stay for at least a couple days and rest. I’ll need to go into town and restock some supplies as well.”

They had been given a very nice room overlooking a beautiful courtyard. She heard Honey and Kuchinashi drop their packs and take a moment to look about the room. A knock came on the door before Sakura could even enjoy their nice little view.

“Sir,” the serving girl greeted Sakura, kneeling at the edge of the room, “My Lady sends this with her regards.”

Sakura nodded to the girl and looked at the package that Risu had sent with her younger servant.

“Oh,” she said appreciative, looking at the beautiful dark silk men’s kimono. 

It was all shades of grey ands and blacks with a honeycomb pattern and large swooping cranes. 

“Bath first sir,” Honey said as Sakura went to pull her worn bloodied yukata off. 

“Ah, I suppose you’re right. Do you suppose they have an actual onsen up here in the mountains?”

.--.

Sakura found out they did indeed have one in the palace, a natural spring that was commonly used by the nobles as well as the ministers. The servant who told her so told her she had permission to use it and so Sakura set off. At this time in the day the place was empty and Sakura took her time. She scrubbed with a hum, glad for the chance to get completely clean. The springs were heavenly, the perfect temperature even amongst the snow draped yard, and offered an amazing view of the mountain peaks past the castle walls. Sakura put a hot towel on her forehead and leaned against the rocks to simply relax. 

“Sir?”

“In here, Kuchinashi,” Sakura called lazily, “No one else here if you want to have a soak as well.”

There was a pause and then the sound of rustling clothes. Sakura listened with half an ear to the sound of splashing water and lathering. When Kuchinashi finally joined her in the steaming onsen Sakura was ready to slip into a doze. 

Until she felt the hesitant stare.

“What’s wrong,” Sakura asked, creaking an eye open. 

The water was murky with natural minerals, and the steam thick. It made vision this close to the water hazy and Sakura peered up from where she was sunk to her chin in the water. Kuchinashi had her jaw clenched, a bit of a stubborn look on her face.

“I want to say thank you for sparing my life.”

“You’ve already said thank you,” Sakura said raising an eyebrow.

“I…” Kuchinashi flushed, “I have only given you words. When…when you said we would share a tent I thought you wanted…”

Sakura snorted rather abruptly as she realized why Kuchinashi had been so uncomfortable that first night. She’d thought Sakura was using sharing a tent as an excuse to ravish her. The ninja who saved a samurai and then slipped into her bed, now that was a novel worthy of Jiraya. 

“You’ve read to much porn,” Sakura laughed.

“I haven’t-” Kuchinashi gave faint protest, flushing, “I just have no other way to offer my thanks.”

“I’ll be honest,” Sakura said, “I spared your life on a whim. Not for thanks or sex or anything else. A whim.”

Maybe that sounded callous but Kuchinashi needed to understand Sakura had done it for nothing, had done it simply because she wanted to. 

“I…” Kuchinashi hesitated again, “I am not used to being indebted.”

“There is no debt,” Sakura said waving a hand.

“So I would like to offer myself,” Kuchinashi cobntinued, that stubborn tilt back in her jaw, “However you will have me, be it in bed or at your back ready to guard you.”

“…are you swearing your allegiance to me?” Sakura asked, “Like a vassal?” 

“I would follow you if you would agree to it, my lord,” Kuchinashi bowed her head, looking as if she wanted to sink to a knee but unable to do so in the water, “I will guard you for as long as you allow me at your side.”

“What if I have no need for a guard?” 

“Then I shall do whatever else you may wish of me,” Kuchinashi swore, gaze hard, “I will pay for my life by helping protect or serve yours.”

“Well,” Sakura said, standing up and letting the cloth on her head fall away, “I can see I won’t be getting rid of you easily. Sure, why not then. Let me know if you ever want to back out though.”

But Kuchinashi didn’t seem to hear the last part. Instead her eyes had widened, her mouth had dropped open, and she was staring with rapt attention at Sakura’s chest.

“I know my tits are pretty but they’re not that amazing,” Sakura teased.

She was most likely staring at the scar that took up most of Sakura’s sternum. A starburst bigger than a hand from where Kaguya had shoved her arm through to try and rip Sakura’s spine out of. In the heat of that battle Sakura had healed herself but she didn’t have the time or concentration to do it nicely and it had scared something awful. A small price for her life. 

“Y-you’re a woman!” Kuchinashi said, voicer high.

Oh. She _was_ staring at Sakura’s tits then. 

“Ah, yes?” Sakura said wondering when she’d given the impression she wasn’t.

Well. She supposed everyone called her sir. And most of the caravan had been unaware of her gender. And well maybe she’d never said anything about it out loud. And she did dress in men’s clothes and bind her breasts down. And she’d been going by a male name. And she supposed she had been in disguise. She’d just sort of assumed Kuchinashi had been informed of all of that. But then again Sakura had never opened her mouth about that and well Honey wouldn’t give away any of her secrets. 

“I guess I forgot to mention that,” Sakura realized. 

Kuchinashi spent the next moment stuttering and Sakura admired the way the flush darkened her cheeks.

“Well, now that that’s all out you can stop worrying I’m going to ravish you,” Sakura said sitting back down in the water.

“I-I wasn’t worried,” Kuchinashi said, “And if you should still desire…”

“Naw, I’m good. Not that you aren’t pretty,” Sakura said, “But I sort of have someone at home.”

“Oh,” Kuchinashi said.

She slid slowly into the water, sitting on a bench across from Sakura. 

“What about you?” Sakura asked idly, “I suppose not if you were quick to tag-a-long with us.”

Kuchinashi opened her mouth and then closed it again. The woman leaned back into the rock, her hair swept up in a tumble on her head and frowned. She looked…well she looked old like this. Sakura had pegged her as early thirties, but she looked older with the sharp expression of grief in her eyes. 

“I was married,” she finally said in to the steam, “It was not a loving marriage but I was content for a while. We even had a daughter.”

“I’m sorry,” Sakura said.

Because love was plain in her tone, but so was grief and so Sakura knew the daughter was dead.

“He was always bit of a…” Kuchinashi waved her hand.

“Pig?” Sakura suggested.

Which startled a laugh out of the woman.

“Yeah. It was a marriage arranged by my father. His was a strong family and we should have been a good match but he did not consider women worth much.”

For a samurai daughter, for one trained as well as she, as skilled as she, that must have chafed something bad. 

“And it grew worse when I gave him a daughter instead of a son,” Kuchinashi said, “He grew to despise me and as such did not treat me well. I grew pregnant again but miscarried late in the pregnancy. I nearly died. When he learned the child would have been a boy, the son he wanted, he despised me more. He blamed me saying I was somehow at fault for it. When the doctor told me I would never have a child again from the trauma of the miscarriage, well I think that turned to hatred.”

Sakura stayed silent. Kuchinashi was talking boldly, no shame or grief in her voice now; only anger sharp in her tone.

“I think he planned to kill me to try and get a new wife. He must have, because the poison that killed my sweet daughter was in the food meant for me. If she had not snuck some because it was her favourite…”

Kuchinashi fell silent but her fists clenched beneath the water. 

“I am a warrior,” Kuchinashi said strongly, voice sharp, “I was raised in a Samurai family and my shinobi cousin trained me briefly as a child before he died in one of your conflicts. My husband forgot that I had the skills of a warrior, that I was good at it. When I had proof it was he who was responsible for the death of my daughter I reminded him of those skills.”

“Good,” Sakura spoke finally.

Kuchinashi looked up at her, rage and grief making her eyes seem darker.

“Is it?” she asked, “My daughter was still dead, my son still dead, and I had lost any home I would ever have.”

“It is,” Sakura said firmly, “Yes, they were still dead but they would have been just as dead had you let him live. And your home, well it doesn’t sound anything like a home. It sounded to me like chains. I’m glad you broke those chains and got revenge.”

Kuchinashi gave a breathless sort of laugh, slightly hysterical in tone.

“People preach against revenge,” Sakura said, “And I have seen how it has murdered men, but us women, I think we need more revenge sometimes. The world can treat us ill and expect us to accept it. I am glad you got yours. I am sorry for your loss too, but don’t let that dull your strength.”

“Thank you,” Kuchinashi laughed, a watery sort of laugh. 

Sakura had seen revenge drive Sasuke nearly mad. Had seen it kill good people, had seen it take everything from them like Obito. But she hadn’t lied. She’d seen too much suffering, to much injustice to preach peace when wronged. She was not Naruto. Sakura was forgiving but she also didn’t forget and would not hesitate to sharpen her rage on any who did her wrong. 

“Honey will be looking for us,” Sakura said after a long silence between them, “Let’s go eat.”

“Yes sir,” Kuchinashi said, and this time when she looked up there was no hesitation or caution in her posture.

When Sakura pulled her new yukata on and Kuchinashi stood a half step behind her in deference Sakura did not protest. When Kuchinashi looked at her, there was only determination and respect. Sakura could live with that.

.--.

Sakura hefted her doctor’s bag up easily, straightening her glasses, and smiled at the teen looking at his hand in shock.

“It will be weak for a bit,” Sakura said, “So don’t strain it, but it should be good in about a week.”

“Y-yes sir! Thank you!” the teen stuttered staring at his unmarred hand. 

Considering it had previously been a mangled mess maybe it was surprising to see it so smooth.

“And aim your hammer better,” she snorted.

She gave the gaping blacksmith behind the apprentice a sharp nod. He scrambled his composure and paid Sakura looking quite relieved. He’d almost lost his apprentice with that accident and was more than happy to pay the criminally low fee Sakura had said she would charge him. Sakura planned to wander about offering discounted healing until she had the fees for their supplies at least. Having healing skills in backwater countries really helped her break even for her bills (and even make a bit after she got reimbursed for mission costs) even when she barely charged the people she healed. 

Healing was Sakura’s passion; she got a thrill from knowing what she was capable of doing, of making people shocked at it as well. Sakura had picked up healing to help her boys and also gained satisfaction from improving her skills. If she had the time and energy she had no problem healing anyone who came to her, especially if they were civilian with no access to organized healthcare.

Sakura gave the pair a polite nod and set off out the door. 

“W-wait! Sir!” the teen ran after him, “Can you do that magic for other ills?”

“It’s not magic,” Sakura said with a raised brow, “But yes. Do you know someone else that needs healing?”

“She can’t pay much!” the teen said flushing, “But she’s in a bad state sir!”

“Show me then,” Sakura said kindly. 

And that was how Sakura ended up back in the red lights district. She seemed to find herself ending up there no matter where she started her healing in every village. Which was par for course she supposed; the girls that worked these places didn’t have money or access to doctors as often as the regular citizens, especially if they were on the poorer end. 

“Sir.”

Sakura blinked and looked up at a young woman bowing to her.

“You have someone requesting you out front,” the woman said.

“Tell them I will join them soon,” Sakura said, turning back to the girl under her hands. Said girl had done something and managed to tear a muscle in her leg. It was quick work to heal her up.

“Be more careful next time,” Sakura told the woman before packing up her doctors bag and stepping out of the whore house.

Kuchinashi stood out front wearing her dark kimono with a brand-new pair of hakama over it. Her sword was at her waist and her hair drawn up high. Her face was set and she looked every inch a samurai. 

“Sir, the Daimyo asked you to join him for dinner this evening,” Kuchinashi said, “Honey asked you to return early so she may help you get ready.”

“Dinner with the Daimyo eh,” Sakura said, “Well, I guess that’s exciting.”

Her tone said it was anything but, but Sakura started off towards the palace anyways. 

.--.

“You should grow your hair out,” the Daimyo said staring at said hair, “It’s a magnificent color; like my cherry blossom trees. And if you wore some greens, or maybe even some yellows I think you would look truly stunning. You are just so dull in all the dark colors.”

“Thank you,” Sakura said smiling thinly. 

If he didn’t stop talking in the next few minutes Sakura really was going to see how much she could offend him before they had to flee. She’d hoped to stay at least a day or two and get some supplies and rest before setting out of this country. Sakura had finished her string of missions and wanted to head back towards Konoha but it was a long journey with two non-shinobi with her. 

The Daimyo was still talking she realized, even as she started going over logistics of the return trip. Sakura put on a pretty smile and turned to her own plans as she ate automatically. When the meal was finished and Sakura had nearly hurt her face keeping the pretty smile on, the Daimyo finally seemed to run out of things to talk about.

Sakura kept the strained smile on place even as the Daimyo trailed off, looking content to simply stare at Sakura. Sakura waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, even though it might be considered rude, Sakura tried to leave.

“It is getting late,” Sakura hummed, “Perhaps I should turn in.”

The Daimyo didn’t appear to hear her, still staring at her hair as if enraptured.

“I’ve never slept with anyone with pink hair,” the man said, “And yours is such a beautiful pink; not garish, just the perfect color of blossoms.”

Sakura felt her smile tighten further. The Daimyo reached out and slid a hand into said hair and Sakura carefully did not take his hand off at the wrist with the blade tucked up her sleeve. 

“Come to bed with me,” the man said, and it was not a plea but a demand.

“Perhaps not,” Sakura said.

She cast a genjutsu over the man with the bare minimum of a hand sign; it was a simple illusion, one any genin could do if they had enough control and wit. The Daimyo blinked once, blinked twice, and then he was falling asleep, eyes dazed as he slumped over. 

Sakura stood end exited the private room. The guard at the door gave her a hard look but when no calls came from the Daimyo he let her be (he must have heard the conversation, must have thought the Lord had accepted her dismissal). Sakura made it to her rooms and shut the door with a definitive click. Kuchinashi sat in the corner staring out the window quietly, sword tucked at her side. Honey was mending something across from her, just as quiet. They both looked up as Sakura entered.

“Make sure you are packed by tomorrow night,” Sakura said blandly.

“We never unpacked,” Kuchinashi spoke for the both of them. 

“Good.”

.--.

Sakura looked down at the castle from high up on the tallest guard tower and admitted it really was quite pretty. The white plaster made it gleam in the setting sun, and the white capped mountains behind it really did match. It must be just as nice in the summer with all the gardens blooming.

Maybe she’d even come back one day to see.

Sakura kicked a leg and watched as the guards swarmed around the ground below her, panic in their steps. None of them looked up which was pretty typical. Sakura watched the panic, watched the guards and servants scrambling around, watched a few nobles sneak out in carriages. She even kept an eye on the Daimyo as he sat calmly on his personal veranda and sipped tea while reading poetry, uncaring of the chaos. She waited until the crying ladies carefully closed the quarters of the newest concubine, looking shaken and sobbing into the upset headguard man’s shoulder, and let only the priests enter the room. 

Then Sakura left the drama behind and leapt for the trees. It was a quick little journey to the clearing just to the East where a set of horses waited.

“All good?” Sakura asked.

“Yes sir,” Kuchinashi said, “We’re ready to head out.”

“Good.”

Sakura pulled herself onto the pretty dappled horse they’d prepared for her. The horses had been a gift from the Daimyo when she’d inquired after them during the morning. His eyes had still been a tad glazed, his movements a little slow and Sakura hadn’t felt even a shred of guilt for catching him when he was still shaking off the influence of the genjutsu. She’d got some free horses and he’d shaken off the genjutsu by dinner. 

They kicked off, horses happy to trot off away from the palace and into the dying light. Sakura sent a clone off ahead of them to find a clearing for the evening and found one better; a cave. They reached the cave after the light had set. They hobbled the horses even as Sakura’s clone set a fire going and laid out bedrolls. Sakura shoved a boulder in front of the cave opening so the opening was only the size of a small person and would help contain heat. 

Kuchinashi carefully pulled her bundle off her own horse and carried it into the cave behind Sakura.

“Are you sure…” Kuchinashi said carefully, brushing Risu’s hair out of her face as she laid her on a bedroll, “Are you sure she will be okay with this?”

“Oh she will be more than happy,” Sakura shrugged as she set about opening the package of food she’d sweet talked the kitchen into giving her. 

They ate in silence and Sakura tallied their supplies. She’d managed to get everyone a nice set of warm clothes and they hade dried goods to last a week hopefully. Water was even easier with all the snow and the horses would last for a bit by digging out the freshly covered grass. 

“Should she not awaken?” Kuchinashi asked as everyone was tucking into their bedrolls. 

Risu stayed dead asleep under her own blankets.

“She will in the morning,” Sakura said unconcerned.

.--.

Risu took the kidnapping very well. She even offered Sakura a sweet smile that made her radiant in the morning light.

“I was hoping to escape,” Risu explained to Kuchinashi who still watched the young woman closely. 

They hadn’t been able to get a forth horse with no explanation so Risu rode behind Kuchinashi happily. 

“I offered to pay Sakumo to fake my death and help me escape to her village.”

Kuchinashi said nothing to this but nodded and looked at Sakura with an odd tilt of her head as if trying to figure something out. 

“You’re still paying,” Sakura said easily, “You’ll pay for our supplies on the way.”

“Did you get my things?” Risu simply asked.

“The essentials. Couldn’t take too much or they would be suspicious. They probably will be anyways but not quick enough and that’s all that matters.”

“How did I die?” Risu asked curiously.

“Wanted to look at the stables and got your face kicked in,” Sakura said, “It was really tragic, and helped me make sure I didn’t have to find a corpse that’s face matched yours.”

They said nothing after that and kept going. Sakura was content in the silence, admiring the forests they rode through while Honey kept close to her side in the same silence. Kuchinashi and Risu kept up quiet conversation but Sakura didn’t pay any attention to it to be honest.

.--.

“Such pretty things,” Sakura said kindly.

The children at her feet cowered. Sakura accepted a cloth from Honey and wiped her hands on it, trying to get the blood off of them. Behind her Kuchinashi stood ready, blade raised and stance firm. Risu stood at her shoulder tense but not afraid. Honey stood to Sakura’s left and held a knife in her hand; a knife Sakura had no idea she’d even had which delighted her. 

The dead did not stir in the snow.

“It is too early in the year to be feeling the bite of hunger,” Sakura told the children at her feet, “Why have you turned to thievery?”

The elder boy, maybe ten years of age, darted a look over to the dead men around them.

“Ah, pressed for service by those of greed,” Sakura nodded.

She crouched down and the children flinched away from her even as she merely dipped her hands into the snow to try and wash them. 

“Run along,” she told the kids, “there is a village five miles behind us. Follow our tracks.”

The kids stood slowly and edged around them like they were wild animals. Sakura watched them go.

“I wonder if they will make it,” she wondered idly.

Five miles through the mountain snows was no small feat for young boys.

“They shall,” Kuchinashi said watching them as well.

Sakura watched the women haul themselves back onto their steeds. Sakura eyed the bandits and decided it best to leave them.

“Well, that was our excitement for the week,” Sakura smiled, “We leave this country tomorrow. We should be through the Country of Demons in two weeks. We will be skirting the Country of Wind by the end of the month.”

The women did not complain despite the hard pace Sakura was setting. Well, hard paced for civilians. For Sakura it was sluggish. 

.--.


	4. Hidden Revelations in the Sand

“Sir,” Honey whispered lowly, eyes fixed on the edge of a dune.

“Oh? Sakura smiled, “Do you sense them?”

Honey nodded and Sakura smiled warmly at her. 

“They mean us no harm,” Sakura reassured her, “Sand is our allies.”

The watchers followed for only a brief ways before they greeted them.

“Ho! Would you be of Konoha?” one watched called from his perch on a dune.

“I would be,” Sakura smiled. 

Her headband glinted from where she’d tied it to her neck. She could have kept it hidden as they skirted the Country of Wind but Sakura had decided this close to home she didn’t mind shedding her civilian disguise.

“Would you like an escort?” the man asked, “We were on our way back to Sunagakure.”

“We had not planned to head to the heart of Suna, but with a guide we would be happy to,” Sakura smiled.

The man grinned and his team rose around him from where they’d been hidden in the sand.

“Suna are our allies,” Sakura repeated an earlier sentiment, “You may trust them.”

The women nodded. They’d left the Country of Keys a few days earlier and were only two days into the great deserts of Suna. Going to Sunagakure would add nearly a week onto their trip but a guide would be handy. And Sakura knew her way back to Konohagakure from Sunagakure better then she knew skirting around the desserts. Besides, they were in no hurry.

That night they set up camp in a small oasis that Sakura hadn’t known existed.

“It gets cold at night so make sure to bundle up,” one of the Suna men teased them when the women happily drank fresh water, sweating from the heat.

Sakura had warned them but none of the women had been to a desert and only knew cold mountain air. Sakura had bought them appropriate supplies a few villages back but even then they were unaccustomed to the dry heat. Even with head and face coverings Honey’s skin darkened and Risu was getting a sunburn on her nose. None of them complained though and Sakura was very proud of them. 

“They’ve never been out of the mountains,” Sakura smiled, “Their first time seeing sand even.”

“Well there is a whole lot of that here, Sakumo,” their head guide laughed, “What are you doing so far south then?”

“Escorting them back to Konoha,” Sakura smiled, “A long mission but easy enough.”

They nodded and didn’t pry deeper. Even allied and on good terms information would never be shared too freely, it wasn’t in shinobi nature. 

.--.

Suna was a riot of colors past their sandstone walls. As if to make up for the lack of color out among the sand Suna was bursting with it. Paint was applied liberally to walls, stone, doors, anything really. Colored curtains hung everywhere, draped between buildings to shade streets and vendors and stores. The people were just as colorful, often dressed head to toe in flowing colors to hide from the sun. The women trailing behind Sakura looked everywhere with wide eyes. 

The team that had escorted them to Suna let them stop to try spicy curry from a street vendor as well as sticks of spiced meats and thick black coffee. Kuchinashi was still guzzling water after the spicy food as they made their way into the Kage tower. 

“Just register with the foreign nin desk,” the leader pointed them down a hall, “Maybe we can catch a drink together later.”

He gave her a hinted look and a welcoming smile but Sakura gave him only a polite one in return at the invitation. 

“Sorry, I have someone waiting at home for me.’

He accepted the rejection with grace and simply gave her a nod and wave as he and his team headed off to check back in. Sakura led the girls to the visitor’s desk and check in with the nin there, registering her Konoha ID and getting a visitor pass for three days for all of them. 

“Is Kankuro in-village?” she asked the man behind the desk.

“I am unsure,” he lied easily, giving nothing away.

“Would you be willing to pass a message on for me?” Sakura asked.

“Perhaps.”

Sakura wrote out a quick hello on a note of paper and folded it. She handed it over with a smile and the man smile ambiguously back at her. Well, she supposed they wouldn’t just tell anyone the location of the Master of the Puppet Troupe and the Kazekage’s brother.

Sakura led the women to a hotel she’d stayed in years back on a mission and found it unchanged. The underground rooms were blessedly cool and most of them collapsed into the beds, shedding dusty layers. 

“Suna is under strict water regulation,” Sakura said, “So no showers, sorry.”

They didn’t complain and simply sighed when offered cloths and a basin of water to clean up what they could. Sakura left them all dozing in the cool room, safe and secure after weeks of travel. They were exhausted but had ridden it out so well and she was proud of them. They’d take the next few days to rest well.

Sakura left them in the room and emerged above ground as the sun was dipping low. Suna shut down during the hottest part of the day and reopened in the evening. This meant everything was generally open late, taking advantage of the cooling air. Sakura found herself a coffee house and entered with a nod to the clerk. She ordered a cup of dark coffee and allowed an elder to draw her into a game of chess. 

Coffee houses were generally men only places, though that tradition was changing, but Sakura was still dressed as a male, hair still clipped short, small rounded glasses on the end of her nose, and makeup covering her seal. She’d sealed away the heavier yukata she’d worn well travelling and unsealed a light cotton one in lighter grays. She’d forgone wearing anything but her breast bindings underneath and it was tolerable in the heat.

This was how Kankuro found her, looking entirely male, on her third cup of coffee, and only half way through an engaging chess match.

“Hello,” he grinned at her as he sunk onto a pillow beside her.

He wore none of his Puppet Troupe makeup and had forgone the usual outfits in favor of plain red robes traditional to Suna. Many people might not have recognized Kankuro so incognito, but many still did, respectful of the Master of the Puppet Troupe, son of the Kage line, and council member. The elder bowed out of their game leaving Sakura and him alone in their corner. Kankuro ignored the game to throw an arm around Sakura’s shoulder and lean back into the pillows. 

The coffee shop owner bowed his way forward and laid out a cup of cardamom spiced coffee and a platter of dates and nuts. He also left a tall water pipe that Kankuro accepted. Sakura sipped her own coffee as she watched Kankuro inhale and then exhale a cloud of smoke. He offered her the mouthpiece but she waved him off for now.

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Kankuro said around a mouthful of smoke, “If you’re hair had been a different color I would have walked right past you. You know this coffeehouse is men only.”

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” Sakura smirked, “And the point was to be incognito.”

“Well you did that so well no one even knew Haruno Sakura had entered Suna. If you had told someone we could have bundle you into our house. Our doors are always open to you,” Kankuro smiled.

“I have friends with me,” Sakura shrugged, “And as I said, incognito.”

“One of those sort of missions, eh.”

“Trying to avoid letting word of me get back to Konoha before I do,” Sakura shrugged. 

This time she accepted the mouthpiece when it was offered. She pulled the sweet tobacco into her lungs and held it a long moment. 

“These things don’t only kill your lungs, they spread disease,” Sakura said idly.

“Don’t take the joy out of everything,” Kankuro complained, “You medics always do.”

Sakura laughed and sipped her coffee again, liking the taste of cardamom and coffee mixing with the tobacco.

“How have you been?” she asked. 

“Good,” Kankuro smiled and this time it was easy and gentle, “The Puppet Troupe has gained some new recruits and we’ve been working hard for the Season’s show. One of the boys came up with a method of using chakra strings that left even me agape.”

“Kids,” Sakura said wisely, “Have some of the best imagination.”

“Yeah,” Kankuro laughed, “How about you? Have you taken up any students?”

“I was offered a genin team,” Sakura admitted, “But declined for now. I needed to…sort some things out.”

“Is that why you had an incognito mission to the North?” he raised a brow.

“Sort of,” Sakura said ruefully, “I thought perhaps distance would give me perspective and so I accepted a mission that took me nearly as far north as I could get from Konoha.”

“Relationship problems then,” Kankuro nodded solemnly stroking an invisible beard.

It startled a laugh out of her and she gave him a swat. She really did adore Kankuro, he was such a good and steadfast friend for how little they truly got to visit. He was without a doubt her favourite suna ninja. 

“Yeah,” she agreed with no shame, “You know me; not very good with them.”

“Now that’s a lie,” Kankuro snorted, “I know how caring and kind you are. All the people you have inspired loyalty and trust in, who would die for you, says you aren’t bad at this relationship stuff at all.” 

Sakura gave him a soft smile, touched at his defence.

“But I doubt myself,” she said, “You saw that first hand.”

“That wasn’t doubt, that was fear,” Kankuro said flatly, “It was a fucked-up situation all around and you responded how a young woman would.”

Sakura winced but time had given her deeper perspective of that as well. Years and years ago, before Akatsuki had been a true concern of hers she’d been sent to Suna to manage their hospital on a diplomatic mission. The …thing that had happened between Gaara and her could barely be called a relationship. Sakura had been a scared teenager unexperienced in many ways. Gaara had been worse. Neither of them was to truly blame, they’d both made mistakes or reacted badly. Still, she regretted a lot about that relationship. The only good thing that had come out of it was her friendship with Kankuro and the bolstering of Suna’s hospital. She and Gaara were on good terms of a sort but it had more to do with the fact they barely saw one another. She didn’t hate him, nor he her, but they hadn’t come out of that as good friends. 

“Well,” Sakura tried to derail those thoughts, “I’m not sure this situation isn’t the same.”

He stared at her with a raised brow and it was obviously he thought she was being an idiot.

“From what I’ve heard whispers of,” he said dryly, “It is as far from that as can be. You both respect each other, you care for each other, and you work well together.”

“But the situation…” she hesitated, “There are some points that are just…”

She struggled to explain it. 

“Sakura, from my perspective,” Kankuro told her seriously, “From an outsider’s perspective, but from someone who knows you both, you better in truth but still, there is nothing wrong with the situation. Maybe you’re both a bit skittish because you’re both new to the idea of really loving someone and thus making up perceived issues.”

“I’m not new to the idea of loving someone,” Sakura said with a hint of mulishness to her tone.

“No,” he shrugged, “Maybe not, but you’ve still probably never loved like this. Sure you’ve had crushes and flings, but be honest Sakura, have you ever loved this deeply?”

Sakura looked at the bottom of her cup, coffee gone, and avoided looking at Kankuro.

“No,” she agreed quietly, “It scares me how much I love him.”

“There you go. You’re not bad at this relationship stuff,” Kankuro said lightly, “Only a fool wouldn’t be scared of feeling so deeply, especially in our profession. But the thing is Sakura, ignoring it isn’t going to take your feelings away, it will just make you miss out on really enjoying them.”

Sakura laughed, sort of breathless.

“I always forget how good you are at seeing me,” she told him, “You always know how to talk me through everything.”

“I like to think I know you well enough by now,” he crinkled his eyes in a smile, “And you’ve done the same for me.”

Sakura remembered long evenings spent in a similar coffee house in southern Suna as Kankuro chain smoked his way through packs of cigarettes and shook with nerves. Sakura had been there that time and she liked to think it was partially her help that had got him and that sweet man from Taki together.

“How is Tadashi anyways?” she asked.

“Good,” Kankuro said ducking his head with a fond smile, “He got his own team of genin so our place seems to be crawling with kids all the time.”

Sakura laughed and held her cup out as the host came by to pour them more coffee. 

“I will have to say hello to him and his new team before I leave,” Sakura said, “Lunch tomorrow?”

“Sounds good. Bring your guests,” Kankuro cheered.

They spent the rest of the evening drinking and smoking, complaining about idiots and generally having a good time. Sakura left with tension shedding from her shoulders like an old cloak. 

.--.

“Your kids are cute,” Sakura told Tadashi as they squabbled over who got to sit right beside their sensei.

Tadashi flushed and shook his head even as he helped lift the youngest up to the high stool.

“They’re menaces,” Kankuro said loudly.

The three kids protested immediately even as Kankuro gave them a sharp grin that said ‘try me’. 

“Kankuro, Tadashi, these are my companions,” Sakura said waving to the three women watching curiously, “Kuchinashi, Risu, and Honey.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kankuro grinned, “Saku…mo and friends, please join us.”

The woman sat on the same side of the booth as Sakura even as Kankuro took the seat to Tadashi’s right and the kids squished in on his left side. The host had already started cooking before they’d arrived thanks to Kankuro’s quick message and they had barely sat down before trays of spiced rice and veggies came along with kebobs and braised meats. The kids dug in without even a how do you do and Sakura’s ladies did the same if more cautiously.

“Why does everything you eat have to be hot,” Kuchinashi asked with a calm face despite the flush already rising in her cheeks, “Is it not hot enough outside?”

Kankuro laughed at her discomfort and started to tell her the history of the dishes. Sakura let the conversation wash over her, digging in. She was in the process of snagging another lamb kebob when Honey inhaled sharply. Sakura looked up, surprised at such a sharp expression of surprise from the unflappable woman. Honey stared at the table, wide eyed and Sakura rested a hand on her knee.

“What’s the matter?” she asked lowly.

“Are…is that allowed?” she asked, a flush staining her dark cheeks.

Sakura looked up to find what she was speaking of and found nothing out of place.

“What?” Sakura asked, confused but less concerned. 

“They…” Honey struggled, “They _kissed_.”

She said it so lowly Sakura could barely hear. 

“Who? Kankuro and Tadashi?” Sakura laughed, “Honey, they’re married.”

“We’ve been married for four years,” Kankuro said having overheard Sakura’s remark at least.

“That’s allowed?” Kuchinashi asked, head tilting in surprise.

“Forgive them, they’re all yokels,” Sakura teased, “But yes, men can marry men and women can marry women in Suna. Or in Konohagakure. Really, in any of the large countries.”

“It’s been allowed for over a decade here in Suna,” Kankuro added, “If an heir is needed there are ways. I don’t know about Konohagakure though. I think it was when Konoha was founded?”

“The Founders made a charter based on equality and personal freedoms,” Sakura nodded, “We may be soldiers, but the commanders stay out of our beds.”

Honey nodded but wasn’t looking at them, instead staring at her hands. Sakura pat her knee gently and simply smiled at her. The meal continued on with no other surprises and at the end Sakura kissed both Tadashi and Kankuro on the cheek and said their farewells. That evening Honey curled up on the bed quietly staring at the wall and they left her to her contemplations.

.--.

“Ready for the last stretch?” Sakura asked as she wound the cloth around her head tighter, “It will only be another three weeks if we push on.”

Their steeds were unhappy being directed back into the sands, but Kankuro had been generous and made sure they had supplies to keep them comfortable to the border.

“Ready,” Kuchinashi agreed.

Risu nodded around the samurai’s side and Honey dipped her head as she copied Sakura, tightening her coverings. Sakura looked back at the gates and waved to Kankuro. He lifted his hand in farewell. Sakura looked up to the top of the wall next and in the distance caught sight of blood red hair. She lifted her hand in greeting. After a long moment Gaara waved back. She was glad he’d kept his distance, but it didn’t hurt to be polite.

Sakura turned her steed into the horizon and nudged their party forward. For the first time since she’d started this journey, she was truly glad she was heading home.

.--.


	5. Transplanted

The sight of the first trees of Konoha rising on the horizon sparked something warm and heady in Sakura’s chest. She was a Konoha shinobi, born and raised among the great Redwoods that Senju Hashirama had raised when Konoha was first founded and kept raising further and further as the city grew. The very sight of them felt like home. The women kept craning their next to look up the massive trees that bowed over the road.

“They’re enormous,” Risu breathed, awe in her tone.

“Senju Hashirama grew them personally,” Sakura said, “The smaller ones between them have since started growing but the more massive ones are hundreds of years old.”

They ditched the last of their dusty coverings as they were encased by the grand forests, sand being brushed off miles and miles away from the desert; Sakura knew they would be finding the grains for days to come. 

That evening they set up camp in the roots of an ancient tree. The horses were hobbled so they could feed on what grass they could find while Sakura hunted through the bush until she returned with a pair of fat rabbits. Dinner was the last of their rice from Kankuro’s supplies and fresh roasted rabbit.

“We’re close now,” Sakura said, “A week if we keep this pace.”

They nodded but none were as excited as Sakura was. She felt the last weariness slough off of her, something about the forests settling something in her soul. Sakura hadn’t been tired per say, nor homesick, but there was no arguing that she didn’t feel more at easy here in the forests. It had been a long series of missions and Sakura had enjoyed getting away from everything. Sakura had enjoyed getting away from Haruno Sakura and Konohagakure, but it had merely been a small breather, a small vacation. 

She was not upset to be coming home.

.--.

Sakura hadn’t reapplied her the makeup she’d been putting on her forehead and she felt the curious gaze of the women on her as they let their eyes drift over the small green crystal diamonds on her forehead. Three small diamonds nestled in a shape that might resemble a lotus for those who recognized it. Sakura had been feeding the seals chakra the entire trip, having needed barely any of it on her missions, and her forehead still felt tender around the branded seals that had etched themselves on her starting so many years ago. Feeding them always made the chakra paths around them tender and soft.

They had made a camp next to a stream last night and managed to have a good wash while also scrubbing dirt and travel dust from their clothes. Sakura had amazed them with a small jutsu that had blown hot air across the clothes to help them dry quickly without the smell of smoke. Kuchinashi had even curried all the horses and spent time polishing their saddles as best she could.

They were, all in their own way, nervous about their first step into Konohagakure. 

The rising walls seemed to make them all the more nervous as they stepped as close to Sakura as the horses would allow. Sakura tossed herself off the horse at the gates rather gracelessly and raised a hand in greeting as Izumo and Kotetsu simply stared. 

“Hey,” Sakura said, “You guys know anyone who can board some horses till I figure out what to do with them?”

“Old man Ryuuken is always looking for healthy ones for his caravans,” Kotetsu said, voice sounding automatic as they continued to stare, “Was this a Team Seven sort of mission?”

“It went really well actually,” Sakura said.

“So that sort of Team Seven mission,” Izumo sighed, “If I ask you to sign in properly will you.”

“Sure,” Sakura lied.

He handed over a clipboard and Sakura squiggled something like details down before handing it back with a beaming smile. Izumo just sighed as Kotetsu carefully took the reigns of the horses.

“I’ll send a genin runner to come get them,” Sakura told Kotetsu.

Then she headed off towards the tower, the ladies following quickly enough as they tried to crane their necks to see everything. It was almost lunch time but seemed quieter on a lazy Sunday and so they made it to the tower with only the odd greeting thrown out at Sakura. Once inside the Hokage Tower Sakura veered off to the mission desk.

“I’ll fill in reports later,” Sakura promised before Iruka-sensei could open his mouth, “But I really just need a genin team to go pick up some horses I left at the gates and take them to Ryuuken’s stables.”

He handed over a paper silently, casting glances at the women behind her as she filled in the D-rank mission request. She signed it properly knowing her status as Hokage’s assistant (at least before she left) would allow her to authorize the mission so it didn’t have to be paid upfront. 

“Let’s go check in then,” Sakura said cheerfully as she led the ladies out of the mission floor and up towards the Kage’s office. 

“Haruno.”

Sakura stopped, the women behind her pausing as well, at the abrupt call. Sakura smiled up at Utatane Koharu and gave her a respectful nod as the elder strode towards them. They’d barely made it halfway to the office. 

“Councilwoman,” she greeted, “How have you been?”

“Well,” Utatane said dryly, “I see your mission was successful.”

The elder turned to look at the three women behind Sakura with a sharp gaze and Sakura felt them all straighten. 

“Yes, councilwoman.”

“Hmm. Two more than I was expecting,” the woman said, “But I suppose giving him a bit of choice might make it easier. You were on the way to his office now, weren’t you?”

“Yes, councilwoman,” Sakura smiled cheerfully.

“Hmm. Meet in the council room instead. I will send a messenger for him and my fellow councilmen.”

She didn’t wait for an affirmative before she was striding off, her cane clicking in her wake. Sakura smiled blandly as she passed, dipping her head. Sakura waited until the woman was gone before turning and walking down a different hall.

“Sir,” Honey said quietly, a thread of worry in her voice.

“That was councilwoman Utatane,” Sakura said, “She’s one of the elders on the council. The council has a great deal of power here in Konoha so best not to piss them off.”

“She said two more than she was expecting,” Kuchinashi said shrewdly, “She was speaking of us.”

“Yes.”

“Which one of us was she expecting? Did you send word of one of us?” Kuchinashi asked, eyes darting to Risu.

She obviously though Sakura must have sent word she was bring a noblewoman to Konoha. But civilians and samurai put too much stock in noblemen. Shinobi answered only to their own Daimyo, acting polite to anyone else higher up just to be careful. But a far-flung nation’s minor lord’s daughter? No, they had no concern or care for what she did. 

“She was expecting me to come back with one woman,” Sakura smiled.

“One woman?” Honey murmured, thinking.

Sakura quieted any further questions as they found the bathroom.

“Time to tidy up,” Sakura said, “We are about to be in the same room as everyone with any power in Konoha.”

They all took this well but with a twitch of nervousness but quickly took advantage of running water and the mirrors. They’d tidied up this morning but now they took the time to properly do their hair and clothes. Sakura leaned against the outside of the door, turning away anyone else looking to use the washroom and directing them to the next floors. A few shinobi wandered past looking nonchalant and offering her smiles and nods. Sakura snorted at them knowing word of her arrival and her little entourage had spread; now the gossips were trying to see what was up. Sakura ignored them and glared at the few who lingered to long. Shinobi were too nosy for their own good and she didn’t want to deal with it right now. 

The trek to the Council room was done quietly and Sakura stepped in to find a great deal of the council already there, sitting on the slopped seats. Sakura had always seen the curved leveled council room as a theater. The kage sat at the head of the horseshoe so he could see everyone and the ones address the room stood in the center of the floor like they were putting a play on. 

Well it was Sakura and her women who would be putting the play on today. Sakura kept them crowded to the edge of the room, waiting as the seats kept filling as people slipped in though the doors. Sakura recognized nearly everyone up in their council seats but kept her eyes out for a certain familiar blond. 

Said blond burst into the room as the last straggler entered and Sakura couldn’t help the smile. 

“Sakura, you made it back!” Naruto cheered as he saw her, his official robes swirling with his enthusiastic wiggle as he beelined for her.

He was half buried under an armful of scrolls so he couldn’t hug her but he leaned in close and they bussed a kiss across each other’s cheek, ignoring a few of the more conservative elder’s noises of indignation at the open show of affection. 

“Naruto, you look like you’ve been working hard,” Sakura beamed.

“Yeah! This bastard keeps piling me with more and more!” Naruto whined.

Said bastard stepped around Naruto to give Sakura a crinkled eyed smile above his mask. Sakura looked into both of Kakashi’s dark eyes and gave him a smile that was soft and gentle and kind and everything Sakura saved for when she got back to Konoha.

“Sakura,” Kakashi said, voice sounding fond, “I’m glad you made it home safe.”

“It’s good to see you too,” she laughed, “I hope Naruto made as good of an assistant as I did.”

“Mah, he complains more,” Kakashi smiled despite Naruto’s immediate protest, “But he does well.”

Sakura grinned as Naruto got a spot of color across his nose at the compliment. Sakura looked away for but a moment, eyes sliding up the ceiling where an ANBU sat on a ledge watching over the proceedings and specifically over the Hokage. Black hair hung about the mask painted a weasel and Sakura smiled with a certain degree of fondness as he blatantly ignored her. She respected his want to stay professional and at least slightly discreet while he wore the mask. She’d tell Sasuke hello later.

“Well, down the business,” Kakashi said cheerfully, cuffing Naruto as if he was in the way.

Naruto gave a vocal complaint but found his seat, Kakashi dropping into his own seat with an indolent slouch that still made most of the elder’s frown. The last of the clan heads and councilmen slid into the room, finding their seats in the large circular levels. ANBU shut the doors behind the last straggler and Sakura took a step back away from the center of the room to be closer to the women watching everything with wide eyes.

“Well, let’s begin then,” Kakashi said in a bored tone, waving a hand idly, “Councilwoman Utatane, you may start the meeting since you gathered us here.”

“Sir,” she bowed her head as she stood from her seat, “A few of you may know that the elders of the council sent Haruno Sakura on a mission six months ago. She has returned.”

“A mission?” Kakashi asked, tone lightly deceptive, “One that didn’t go through me?”

“We have the power to send shinobi out on minor missions that don’t affect the security of Konoha,” Utatane said flatly.

Which was true in a way. There were of course more rules than just that; they couldn’t affect a ninja of Konoha, they couldn’t be assassinations, they couldn’t have any political repercussions outside of Konoha, and the like. In fact the rules around non-Hokage assigned missions was strict that there were very little options. But sending Sakura on a personal retrieval missions, paid for by the pockets of some councilmen was allowed. 

“I accepted it,” Sakura also chimed in, “Because the request was very…reasonable.”

Kakashi raised a brow at her and her bland smile. Perhaps he could sense the bullshit in that statement. Perhaps he could hear Sakura saying ‘it was not at all reasonable but I accepted before it could be even less than that’.

“And what was this mission and why does it require a council after she returned?” Kakashi said, “That doesn’t sound very minor.”

Kakashi folded his hands on his desk, Hokage robes rustling at the movement, and people subtly shifted at blatant show of Kakashi’s temper. Hatake Kakashi was not a man of tempers, but he also had a low tolerance for bullshit and people who tried to interfere with his team. The fact he had visibly showed his hands and calmly put them down told everyone all they needed to know about how if you said the wrong thing here he was more than willing to fight. The blatant show of a shinobi’s hands in such a manner pretty much screamed ‘my hands are in sight so I won’t pull any fast tricks’ but also screamed ‘they’re ready to go for your throat’. 

“They sent me to find you a wife,” Sakura said flippantly.

There was a moment of silence.

“WHAT!?” Naruto howled breaking the silence.

A moment later the surprise turned into laughter and Naruto gave up all decorum to scream with laughter, head collapsing onto his desk as he pounded his fists in unrestrained glee. More than one person sent him sharp looks for his loss of composure but even more people where staring at either Sakura, Kakashi, or Utatane. Sakura could see Neji in the Hyuuga seat slowly turning to face the elder to hisright while Tsume was openly gaping in astonishment at Utatane. Shino was staring with unnerving focus at Sakura herself and she offered him a smile. Shizune was who held Sakura’s gaze and flashed a sign at her that made Sakura nod just the slightest. Message received. 

“A wife,” Kakashi said, and gone was all the laziness and dismissal.

His tone was flat but deadly even if his composure looked unchanged. Sakura felt her women shifting behind her but kept her hands at her side, smiling at the council.

“You are the last Hatake,” Utatane said blandly and Sakura really did have to admire the balls on her to be facing him so calmly, “The last member of one of the Original Clans. You are also our Hokage and one of our strongest shinobi. Your legacy cannot be allowed to die out.”

Sakura kept her smile on her face and wondered whether Utatane knew that Kakashi cared about absolutely none of that. Probably. She must know because she’d gone behind his back to organize this all, knowing he would have protested. 

“Thus we enlisted Haruno, as your mission partner and then assistant, to find a woman who would be compatible with you. Haruno was decided to know you best and know what you needed best. You have shown no interest in any within Konoha so we entrusted her to find a wife for you outside of here.” Utatane continued, tone as mild as milk, “The Elder Council is prepared to withdraw our support to a number of bills if you do not take your position as thus seriously.”

There was a moment where everyone seemed to hold their breath at this threat. Even Naruto’s laughter had cut off as he stared at the Elder with wide eyes. That was a serious threat. The Hokage was in charge of Konoha, the commander of their forces, and in many ways a dictator. He was not elected, had no terms to serve. He was simply put in charge and was obeyed. But as Sakura had warned the women, the Council held a lot of power politically. They were the ones who took care of the business of truly running Konoha and the while the Hokage technically had absolute authority, it could get tricky if the clans and councils didn’t support him. While the Hokage could ultimately go above them, he’d be working against them and that spelled future troubles for the running of Konoha. 

“Sakura,” Kakashi said flatly, eyes narrowed, “Present your guests.”

“I have brought three women from North of Demon Country,” Sakura said instantly, posture at ease as she stepped to the side and waved the women forward.

The women stepped forward without hesitation, trusting Sakura despite the shocking news and the tension so thick you could taste it.

“My name is Amaririsu,” Risu bowed with all the grace of nobility taking the lead.

“This one is called Kuchinasi,” Kuchinasi bowed next, back straight and proud.

“I’m Hachimitsu,” Honey offered next, giving a supple bow.

For a moment there was a stretch of silence. And then Kakashi laughed, the sound cutting through some of the tension in the room.

“You collected a little garden here Sakura,” he chuckled.

Sakura tilted her head in acceptance. 

“Kuchinashi here is a samurai, trained formally in their arts,” Sakura introduced, “She is 33 and very adept at running a household. She has some informal shinobi training and a grasp on chakra. I wouldn’t hesitate to call Kuchinashi loyal and fair. Amirisu is younger, being 18, and the daughter of a Lord. She has commendable bravery and wit and while she has no formal training she is very well educated in many areas. Hachimitsu is the youngest of my companions at only 14, and has no formal training but is a budding chakra sensor and has decent reserves for someone untrained.”

The whispering started immediately as the Elders started to debate each woman like they weren’t in the room.

“Based on introduction the samurai would make the best wife,” someone suggested, “She’s already trained enough to defend any children and she’s already shown she has enough chakra to train which would be a boon to any children.”

“Bah. A 33-year-old wife? That doesn’t leave much time for children,” an elderly man scoffed, “Better the Lady. She’s not trained but she’s got noble blood and education. She’d be able to handle being the political wife of someone like the Hokage. It would be a boon for our diplomatic relations.”

“But she has no training, what if she passes her lack of chakra capacity onto a child?” another suggested, “The youngest would be best, she’s many years of child bearing left in her. And if she truly has chakra sensor abilities, they are likely to be passed one. Could you imagine a Hatake chakra sensor?”

The arguing continued and Sakura was pleased to see her women looked unconcerned with the talk. They glanced at Sakura and her smile and stayed as they were. Around them the Elders argued but the Clan Heads discreetly exchanged communications, calmly watching their Hokage. Shikamaru in particular was watching Kakashi like he was thinking a million plans. Ino was watching Sakura looking calm but for the hint of glee on her face. Sakura met her eyes briefly and offered her a smirk. Between them Chouji sat looking like stone. This was only their first year on the council since their parents had retired) and she could see how seamlessly they had picked up the mantle ship of Clan Head. 

“Sakura,” Kakashi said, cutting through the chatter.

“Yes?” Sakura asked calmly as all attention turned once again to the Hokage.

“Why have you introduced these women to me?” he raised a brow.

“I would like permission to invite my sisters to stay in Konoha and take the Haruno name,” Sakura said easily, a smile stretching wide across her face.

Someone gasped.

“Ah, you want citizenship for all of them?” Kakashi asked.

“Yes sir, Lord Hokage.”

“Granted,” Kakashi said easily, “Naruto please do up the forms to welcome the three new Haruno ladies to Konoha.”

“To name them Haruno before one gets married,” Utatane frowned, eyes narrowing, “Is not unreasonable.”

“Oh,” Sakura blinked as if just remembering her, “No. I’m naming them Haruno because they are my new sisters. None of them will be marrying our Lord Hokage I think.”

There was a moment of silence and Sakura gave Utatane a cheerful grin even as the old woman lost some of her composure to her surprise. 

“I accepted the mission to find Hatake Kakashi a wife six months ago,” Sakura announced, “And I have returned to tell the Elder Council I have failed. Mainly due to the fact that Hatake Kakashi will accept no wife presented by this council, nor accept being pressured into marriage.”

There was more silence but Sakura saw some growing smiles among the Clan Heads. A clap echoed through the room and Sakura smiled at Kakashi as he slowly applauded her.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” he said cheerfully, “Haruno Sakura is quite correct; I will not be accepting any wife presented by this council, nor will I accept your pressure to marry. No matter the threats. Meeting adjourned.”

Sakura hurried her sisters out without another word, Naruto hot on her heels. Kakashi took the quick route and vanished in a swirl of leaves before anyone could corner him.

“Well, lets go get those forms filled out,” Naruto cheered, “I’m Naruto by the way!”

“He’s my teammate,” Sakura told the women, “You can trust him with your lives.”

“Yeah!” Naruto agreed as sunnily as usual, “But we better hurry cause I don’t want to deal with any council members!”

“Go with him, I will find you soon,” Sakura told them.

Honey was the first one to square her shoulders and give a sharp nod before turning to Naruto.

“Show us the way sir,” she told him.

“Ah, I’m no sir,” Naruto laughed sheepishly, “You can just call me Naruto.”

Sakura watched them leave and then made for the window as the sound of footsteps told her she was being pursed, most likely by some of the Elders. Utatane would probably be spitting mad with her for years after this embarrassment. Not that Sakura cared what that old biddy thought of her, but she’d rather not experience the polite-but-not-really spiteful dressing down that she’d probably get. 

Sakura scaled the wall of the Hokage tower before pulling herself onto a ledge overlooking the Hokage’s office. It was a shaded thing, angled so it was invisible from the street. The ANBU used it as a perch sometimes. But more commonly…

“Sakura,” Kakashi said fondly from where he was tucked in the corner, Hokage robes crinkled, “Now that was a show.”

“I thought you might appreciate it,” Sakura said hauling herself into the space. 

“I did wonder what was taking you so long, why you kept accepting small time missions so far north,” he said, “But I didn’t imagine you were out gathering gardenia, amaryllis, and honey blossoms.”

“You know I enjoy flowers,” Sakura smiled fondly, “And how could I resist? They were all so stunning in their own way but the soil they were in was choking them out. I thought maybe they could use the soil of Konoha and the shade of the great tree.”

“Flowers to grow under the protection of the strong unbowed Sakura tree,” Kakashi teased. 

An ANBU chose that moment to hang his head over the edge of the roof. The mask looked odd upside down, dark hair falling around it.

“Hello Sasuke,” Sakura said fondly. 

“Hn,” was his greeting.

But then he held out a small bag.

“Oh, that’s thoughtful of you,” Sakura cooed.

Sasuke twitched at the tone and Kakashi snickered beside her. Sakura took the small bag marked with the sign of the convenience store on the corner. Sasuke disappeared a moment later, within sensing range but out of hearing range. Sakura dug in the bag and handed Kakashi a bottle of cool tea while Sakura found iced coffee for herself. Then Sakura found a set of ice cream bars and laughed.

“He really is thoughtful. Who would have guessed Uchiha Sasuke would grow up to be such a thoughtful man,” Sakura said. 

“It just took getting all that vengeance stuff out of him,” Kakashi agreed accepting the ice cream.

Sakura bit into the sweet treat and smiled around the sakura flavor. Sasuke might be thoughtful but he could still be a brat. 

“So three more Harunos,” Kakashi said idly, “What else did you get up to on your trip?”

“Oh you know, this and that,” Sakura waved a hand, “Played civilian doctor, stopped an avalanche, got propositioned by a Daimyo, faked a lady’s death, killed some bandits. The usual.”

“Team Seven is a bit of a disaster,” Kakashi sighed, “You all seem to run into the most troublesome things.”

“You can’t exclude yourself from that,” Sakura laughed at him, “You’re the one who got tricked into being Hokage.”

He sighed mournfully but didn’t dispute it. 

“Did you…” Kakashi started. 

Then he paused and sighed. He pulled his mask down to take a bit out of his ice cream and Sakura waited for him to finish his thought.

“Trade me,” he said instead.

She did so, handing him her ice cream and accepting his. She bit into it and found it to be mint, his most hated favor. Sasuke was such a brat. 

“Did you think about…” Kakashi trailed off waving a hand. 

“You can say it,” Sakura said not unkindly.

“Did you think about us?” he asked, looking up at her.

“Yeah,” Sakura nodded, “I tried not to at first. I tried to simply enjoy my mission like it was a vacation. But, well, the whole mission was pretty much a kick in the rear to really think about it considering the nature of the mission itself.”

“A wife,” Kakashi grumbled, “Of all the stupid plots.”

“How do you think I felt when they assigned it to me!” Sakura laughed, “I was so shocked I simply stood there, which is how I actually accepted it. They gave me a chance to decline and my brain was still rebooting so I just stood there! They took it as acceptance and by the time I got over my shock they’re already laid out the details and filled out the form.”

She laughed freely and it felt good to do so. Kakashi chuckled with her as he imagined the scene.

“Of all the people to ask,” he shook his head, “They’re blind as moles.”

“Well, the Elders are getting old,” she teased, “Maybe they really have lost their eye sight.”

“They must be, if they assigned my girlfriend to go find me a wife.”

Sakura flushed immediately. 

“Am I?” she asked, “Your girlfriend that is?”

“Sakura,” Kakashi said slowly, “We’ve been sleeping together for almost four years.”

“Yes but…”

“You have clothes at my place. Clothes, toothbrushes, books, in fact you practically live in my residence,” he stared at her.

“Yes but,” Sakura stalled, “Well, we’ve never really named what this is.”

“Sakura,” Kakashi said seriously, “We have been mission partners for thirteen years, ever since you returned from that mission to Suna when you were fifteen. Thirteen years of working together. I’d say at least ten years of dancing around each other, and five years of dating each other, four of sleeping together. What else would we be?”

Sakura thought of it as she ate the last of her ice cream. He was right of course. They’d grown close when training together, and than after the mission to Suna and the disaster with Gaara, she’d been his mission partner. They’d never been assigned a mission apart after that unless their skills were needed for emergencies. There was a reason she’d never went to work full time in the hospital. And when she’d turned eighteen, after the war, and Kakashi had suddenly realized she was a woman and not a child…well that had been a confusing time, but they’d never stopped being partners. And then one day, when she’d been around twenty-three they had been sitting for dinner at a fancy restaurant in Waterfall and Sakura had abruptly realized they were on a date. A year later she’d tumbled him into her bed and he’d never left it. 

But… Well Sakura couldn’t remember once giving it a label. 

“I’m an idiot,” she sighed, “We never said the words because they didn’t need to be said.”

They’d never sat down and discussed it because they’d been so strongly on the same wave-length that both of them had known this was no fling, no small thing; that this was it. 

“I talked to Kankuro in Suna,” Sakura added, “And he made me realize it then, but I guess I just…”

She looked out over Konoha.

“I’m going to straight up admit I was scared,” Sakura said, straightforward, “I guess love just crept on me so slowly I didn’t really think about it. And then suddenly I had to look at and consider how much I really truly loved you and it scared me how very deeply I felt.”

“Oh Sakura,” Kakashi said, taking her hand in his, “You don’t think it didn’t scare me?”

“Of course it scared you,” she rolled her eyes, “You’re practically allergic to facing your emotions. I just thought I was more used to feelings and stuff.”

“After the war, all of us are too worn to take anything like love for granted,” Kakashi said hand on her cheek turning her to look at him, “We’re too used to loss and it makes love feel a little overwhelming. I just hope you never doubted my love for you.”

“Never,” Sakura said leaning into the hand cupping her cheek, “I was just overwhelmed, and it scared me so I did what Team Seven does best; I ran away from it.”

“But you came back,” he smiled, eyes crinkling.

“Of course. We all do,” Sakura said fondly, “I used to think only you boys were the idiots but I guess the whole team is idiots.”

He laughed and leaned forward brushing his lips over hers. She leaned into the soft sweet kiss and let their noses brush as they pulled away. 

“I suppose,” Kakashi said, “It would be bad taste to ask you to marry me after this whole wife debacle?”

“Ha!” Sakura laughed, “Maybe not bad taste, but bad timing. If we get married now the council will think they won.”

“Best hold it off then,” he said, his face a moue of disappointment. 

“You know the answer is yes though, right?” Sakura said softly smiling at him.

“I had hoped,” he smiled back. 

And maybe it wasn’t the most romantic proposal, but Sakura had really never expected anything like that from Kakashi. To be honest she’d just expected to find them fully living together once day with a scroll tossed to her that would register them married (for tax reasons he might insist) when they filled it out over breakfast. 

Sakura leaned up to kiss him again and Kakashi slid the hand cupping her cheek around her head to slide through her short hair to hold her close. 

“I love you,” Sakura murmured into the kiss.

“And I you,” Kakashi said right back.

“KAKASHI!”

“He has the worst timing,” Kakashi said pulling back from Sakura with a sigh of disappointment. 

Sakura smiled and her cheeks hurt from how much she’d been doing that recently. She should have been more used to it but her sabbatical had involved a lot of calm thoughts and easy days that had made her smile less but rest more. 

Kakashi swung off the ledge and into the office, Sakura following just as gracefully. Naruto was already there with three scrolls laid out on the Hokage’s desk. Sakura’s sisters stood behind him looking a little unsure. Sakura went to them as Kakashi returned to his desk. 

“All good?” Sakura asked.

“We filled them out,” Risu nodded elegantly, “Kuchinashi had to help Honey because her writing isn’t very good, so we will have to teach her.”

“Anything you need,” Sakura said, “We are family now.”

“Thank you, Sakumo,” Risu nodded slowly, but looked a bit off kilter at that declaration.

“We will bring no shame to your name Sakumo, sir,” Kuchinashi swore, going down on one knee.

Honey said nothing but she looked at Sakura more closely than she had previously. There was a world or words held in those amber eyes and Sakura gave her a soft smile. 

“Sakumo?” Kakashi questioned, hand hovering over the scrolls.

Sakura turned to him and met his gaze squarely.

“A code name to stop people from realizing who I was,” Sakura said, “I needed something similar to Sakura and I could think of only one name I respected.”

Kakashi held her gaze and she saw a wealth of emotions on his face before he purposely refocused on the scrolls.

“Well, it all looks in order,” Kakashi said looking at the scrolls, “Lets finish it up.”

He stamped them with the Hokage’s seal.

“Take those to be fast tracked,” Kakashi told Naruto handing over the scrolls.

“Sure,” Naruto said with a wide grin, “I’ll make the office get their ID papers fast tracked too so no one can hassle them. Nice to meet you all!”

All the girls nodded at Naruto, all with a certain level of warmth to them, and Sakura smiled at that too. 

“Now, Sakura you know they will be under your protection until that is all filed, and their probation is up. As long as no crimes are committed you will all be Konoha Citizens with all the rights that entails in six months. Be good till then, eh? And Sakura, I will see you later.”

The women all bowed deeply to the smiling Hokage and Sakura gave him a graceful dip of her head.

“Now,” Sakura said as she herded the women out of the room, “Let me show you my home. Or well, the place we will be staying. My home is a little small for all of us so we will be staying with my Master.”

“Master?” Kuchinashi asked a hint of nervousness in her voice as Sakura led them from the tower, “Will she be okay with all of us entering her home?”

“My mentor Shizune was at the council, she will have already passed word along,” Sakura said kindly, “And she will be happy to meet you all.”

.--.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reveal; Kakashi/Sakura. Featuring competent Naruto and Bratty Sauske cheering on the sidelines.


	6. With Gardenia, Amaryllis, and Honey-Blossoms all in a Row

Tsunade was indeed very happy to meet them all. They interrupted the end of Shizune’s tale on the council meeting and Tsunade was roaring with laughter when the entered the Senju manor. 

“Ha! That will teach those old meddlers!” Tsunade roared, cheeks flushed with mirth and sake, “They really thought Sakura would obey them!?”

“That’s a mistake they won’t make again,” Sakura said cheerfully as she entered the room.

“Sakura!” Tsunade laughed stumbling to her feet and picking Sakura up and twirling her. 

Tsunade had used her seal too much in the war and it had taken its toll, stripping years off her life. She looked far older than she was, but she was still beautiful in a regal way. Her hair was nearly white instead of blonde and wrinkles had etched their way across her face, but peace had given her smile lines and a soft sort of joy. She’d not lost her strength either even though she didn’t have as much chakra anymore and she easily spun with Sakura in her arms. 

“I’m so proud of you,” Tsunade cackled, “Pulling one over those fools!”

“It was a pleasure,” Sakura said with a sly smirk.

Tsunade laughed and set her down as Shizune hid her own smirk behind her hand.

“Shishou I’d like you to meet some people,” Sakura said as her feet touched the ground, “My new sisters Risu, Kuchinashi, and Honey.”

Tsunade turned to look at the women waiting in the doorway. She eyed them all carefully and then finally smiled wildly.

“Any women Sakura respects enough to name family, are family of mine as well. Come in, come in! Shizune! More sake! We need to celebrate victory and new family!”

For once Shizune didn’t complain about Tsunade day-drinking and instead smiled at the women before slipping off to the kitchen. Sakura’s new sisters sat carefully around the room.

“Tell me how you met Sakura,” Tsunade commanded as she found her cushion.

And so they launched into their stories, Kuchinashi more than happy to give an epic sounding tale of battle and mercy and Sakura’s poweress. Risu was more straightforward but unflinching with her honesty. And Honey gave her the bare minimum leaving Sakura to explain most of their tale as short as it was. Shizune let the sake flow and soon enough all of them had a flush on their cheeks and easier smiles. 

“We were hoping you would allow us to stay under your roof while I figure out someplace to fit us all,” Sakura said finally as Shizune set out snacks and talked cheerfully with Kuchinashi who was close to her in age. 

“Of course you can stay here,” Tsunade said immediately, “In fact I don’t see why you need to look any further, the Senju Manor can easily fit all of us. And it’s always been your home as well Sakura.”

Sakura looked at her Master and felt warmth bloom in her chest. She’d always sort of known but it was nice to be accepted so easily. 

“It will liven the place up,” Shizune added, “It gets quiet with just the two of us.”

And so that was settled. It was so good to be home.

.--.

Sakura leaned against the edge of the bath and sighed happily. The warm water washed away the last bit of travel from her and Sakura found it blissful.

“How are you feeling?”

Sakura tilted her head up and looked at Kakashi who smiled at her over his mask which was pulled down to his chin.

“Tired,” Sakura admitted, “I thought the mission would be a vacation, and it was in many ways, but not so in others.”

“Oh?”

“It was nice to get away,” Sakura said, “To just have some time to be Sakura, and not Haruno Sakura, war-hero, Kage’s assistant, and medical prodigy. It was nice to be a normal person.”

“It can be nice,” Kakashi agreed.

“But it tired me out in a way too. Being aimless, mostly, sort of made me feel….”

She searched for the term.

“Apathetic,” she finally decided, “I wasn’t happy nor unhappy, I was just sort of drifting.”

“You are a woman of purpose,” Kakashi pointed out, “You don’t do well without goals.”

“True,” she agreed.

Kakashi pushed his sleeves up and reached for her shampoo, squeezing it into his hands. She leaned her head back into his hands and closed her eyes as he massaged the soap through her hair. His nails scraped her skull and Sakura moaned, blissfully. 

“I missed you,” Kakashi whispered into her ear.

“You know I missed you too,” she smiled softly, “It was good to come home.”

“It always is,” he smiled.

“Come join me,” Sakura said, “This tub is big enough for both of us.”

It was indeed, the Senju Manor having a very, very nice bathroom. The tub had apparently been connected to a spring at one point and Tsunade had said Tobirama had manipulated the water to come out near boiling like an onsen. Sakura leaned back into Kakashi’s chest and he rested his chin on her head. Sakura closed her eyes, quite content to soak in his arms. 

“I was thinking a spring wedding,” Kakashi said after a warm silence, “When the Sakura blossoms are all in bloom.”

“You sap,” Sakura laughed.

“They make you look stunning. Not that you don’t look stunning all the time, but I love to see you set in amongst all that pink.”

“A spring wedding then,” Sakura agreed, “But I want a traditional one, in a temple.”

“Agreed. Do you want to move into the Hatake manor after that?”

Sakura thought of the dusty old compound near the forest that still had bloodstains in the master room.

“No,” Sakura said, “I’m not moving into your household. You are going to move into mine.”

“…oh?”

Sakura tilted her head to look up at him with a sly smile.

“Will you take the name Haruno, Kakashi?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he leaned over and kissed her. 

“The Council is going to murder you,” he said after the kiss, looking quite enthused.

“They can try,” Sakura snorted.

“First you fail a mission they took the time to sneak past me, and then you kill off the Hatake line by making your poor husband take you name? What a shame.”

Sakura laughed. She knew if he had any real objections, he would have said them long ago. They’d never talked about it, but Sakura knew Kakashi didn’t care for his family name nor its history. It was a rich history but for Kakashi it was stained with the blood of his father. It was only bad memories. Someone might have insisted he needed to face those bad memories and overcome them, to bring his name back to shining glory. But well, Sakura knew he’d already accepted all of it, that he didn’t hold it against his father, but that didn’t mean he had to embrace it now. If taking her name would bring him even the slightest bit more peace, she would take it.

Besides, she liked the name Haruno. And the Haruno family had grown. 

Kakashi kissed her again and she turned in his arms to press against him.

“Do you have a bed here?” Kakashi breathed.

“I’m sharing with my sisters until more rooms get cleaned,” Sakura said.

“Come back to mine then,” he begged, pulling her close.

“Tomorrow,” she said instead of giving in, “Let me get my new sisters settled in.”

He didn’t complain, instead kissing her softly again and smiling. 

“Any plans for those sisters?” he asked.

“No,” Sakura said, “Suggestions yes, but no plans. Their futures are their own.”

“Oh Sakura. You always were the most compassionate of all of us,” he said softly touching her cheek.

“When I can afford to be,” she agreed, “And with you most of all of course.”

“I love you,” he told her seriously.

“Oh Kakashi,” she laughed, “I love you too. Now let’s get out of the bath and go see my sisters.”

“Go see the new Haruno family,” he smiled.

“The starting of it,” Sakura winked.

.--.  
.--.

Kuchinashi was intelligent and loyal and even energetic behind her past sorrows. She was not prone to smiling often but Sakura could feel how she content was. She lived in the Haruno home like all her sisters and spent most of her time following one of them around like an honor guard. Whenever Kakashi had an important kage meeting Kuchinashi stood at his side in her traditional wear, sword at her waist and hands ready. She vowed her loyalty to the Haruno until her dying breath and turned away all suitors and even friends. 

So it was a bit surprising that of all the people she could became close to, it was Maito Gai who pulled her out of isolation. He was Kakashi’s best friend of course, and as such was and out of the Haruno house so frequently (since Kakashi was there all the time it seemed) that Sakura was considering simply giving him a room. So she supposed it wasn’t really a surprise that Kuchinashi ended up spending a decent amount of time with him. 

The day Sakura realized that Kuchinashi might actually love Gai was when she came upon them in the courtyard, Kuchinashi was pushing Gai’s wheelchair and telling him about her daughter while Gai let himself be pushed like he hadn’t since he first ended up in the wheelchair. When Sakura told Kakashi about this he simply stared at Gai until over dinner one day Gai blurted out his love for the ‘lovely spirited Gardenia blossom!’

The Haruno sisters all laughed at the bright blush on Kuchinashi’s face that matched Gai’s. 

Gai was told one of the rooms near the garden was his and he had better move everything in. Kuchinashi and Gai never married but they were never far from one another when at home. Kuchinashi started to treat Lee (who was in and out of their house just as often as Gai it seems) as a son and it was Kuchinashi and Gai that were in the delivery room with Lee and his wife when Metal is born. 

The Haruno’s all agreed theirs was an odd but touching love.

.--.

Risu took the time to teach Honey how to read and write fully, while also schooling her in everything Risu herself was taught. Then as soon as that was finished she declared that she was going to attend the university in the capital and packed her bags. Sakura made Sasuke escort her there to make sure she wasn’t mistreated because civilians had stupid ideas about how women should behave. Over the years Sasuke ended up doing multiple missions to the capital to check in on her and threaten official’s in Sakura’s name until Risu returned home a graduate and a Master of Mathematics. She was promptly handed the role of Minister of Finance for the Shinobi forces and she commandeered an office in the kage tower just down the hall from the Hokage’s. 

Sakura was blissfully unaware of Risu’s love life until she walked into her office with lunch one day a year or so after she’d returned from the capital and found Risu in Sasuke’s lap. Sasuke and Risu had stared at her in horror over being caught, flustered and startled, though Risu calmed herself the quickest and tried to look solemn and serious while Sasuke was redder than the tomatoes he loved. Sakura simply grabbed Sasuke by the hair and dragged him to a training ground where she proceeded to beat the tar out of him with nothing but her fists. She lectured him the entire time and told him that if he hurt Risu then she would murder him in his sleep and make sure his ashes never got buried in the Uchiha plot. He took the threat in all consideration and before she knew it Sasuke was bowing at her and Kakashi’s feet and asking for the privilege of Risu’s hand. 

Risu and Sasuke had a beautiful traditional wedding in the Fire Temple. 

Sakura admitted they were good for each other when Kakashi laughed at her for her grumbling. Calm and collected Risu was a good match for quiet bratty Sasuke. Despite her calm manner, Risu was no push over and could more than handle Sasuke despite his skills and attitude. Sasuke also highly respected her intellect and it made him take her words and advice seriously. Sakura would say something about her rounding out Sasuke, but to be honest he had just a good influence on her, tempering her more sneaky plans and making her think about her actions in the terms of other people and not just herself and her family. Risu was raised a nobleman’s daughter, taught to see those below her as less, and then her education in numbers has led her to reduce people and things to their financial worth. Sasuke with his deep love of family tempered that. 

Their children were absolutely gorgeous of course, all dark hair and dark eyes and pale skin, and both were so deliriously happy that Sakura could simply smile when she saw them.

.--.

Honey, the quietest of her sisters, stayed quiet. She learned and learned and learned, taking anything anyone would teach her. Iruka even took a year sabbatical to teach her whatever she desired because he is so impressed with her dedication. Sakura found them on her veranda talking math and literature and trap making and seals and all manner of things nearly every day. Some days she finds them sitting calmly drinking tea, Honey whispering about hands pinning her down and Iruka listened solemn and quiet, offering her the support she needed. 

Then the day came that Honey approached Sakura and got on her hands and knees and begged to be allowed to learn at the hospital and Sakura was so surprised it was Kakashi who drew her up and smiled and told her ‘of course’. Sakura recovered quickly, gathered her wits, and told Honey she was never to bow to Sakura again and that her lessons started next week and of course she’s not going to the nursing program, Sakura was going to teach her personally.

Like Sakura had stated to the council so long ago, Honey had the ability of chakra sensing. Iruka taught her chakra control and technique but Honey was too old to start her training, thus she had access to chakra but her coils had settled without ever being stretched and trained and she had less chakra than a genin. This did not hold her back. She couldn’t learn chakra techniques, but civilian doctors were still life-savers. Sakura taught Honey everything she could and helped the woman hone her sensing ability until she could use it to track down any shinobi who tried to flee the hospital bed. The shinobi of Konoha cursed Sakura for that training but no one got away without minimal bed rest now and Sakura grinned like a cat. 

When Risu and Kuchinashi settled down Honey told Sakura flat out she would never marry a man and Sakura had to laugh despite how solemn and serious Honey was. She told Honey that she knew that would never happen and told her any choice she made, Sakura would support her.

A week later Honey brought Hyuuga Hanabi to Sakura. Hanabi bowed at her feet and Sakura had to draw them both to their feet and tell them that Hanabi was more than welcome to join the Haruno family if the Hyuuga would not take them. Neji came stomping up to her house the next day ready to fight her for insinuating the Hyuuga would not love to welcome Honey into their home as Hanabi’s wife. Sakura fought him because it was fun and then told him after that she doubted that Honey would ever give up the Haruno name. 

She was right of course and Hanabi entered the Haruno home but kept her name. They were happy in their own solemn way and Sakura smiled every time she shaw them sitting in the garden looking over scrolls. 

.--.

And Sakura and Kakashi?

Well, it started sad. 

Tsunade passed away in her sleep, the use of her Seal in the war having taken more from her than she let anyone know. She passed away surrounded by her family and she was missed terribly. She left Sakura one last surprise and bequeathed the Senju grounds to her, telling her that it was time to let the Senju name rest. The Haruno Manor was in mourning when it was thus titled. Shizune stayed of course, she was just as much family as Tsunade was. She brought a pretty little husband into their house (and Sakura enjoyed the way Genma blushed every time she called him that) and their family kept growing. 

The Council got to watch Sakura swallow the Senju history. Then they got to watch her consume the Hatake one as Sakura and Kakashi married beneath full sakura blossoms trees. It was a small but happy wedding and Sakura smiled the whole time, but especially when Kakashi went to kiss her and twisted them so none of the guests could see his face. Everyone (who had expected to finally see his face) was outraged, Naruto especially, and they had to duck out of their own wedding lest a riot start.

Kakashi managed to outrage the Council before they had even finished muttering about the shame of him taking his wife’s name by handing the Kage’s hat straight over to Naruto with a cheery wave before they disappeared on their honeymoon. 

The Haruno family grew and grew and grew as all her sisters found people and drew them in. Her sisters grew like weeds, or perhaps a well cared for garden, and Sakura smiled content every time she saw them take another step towards a shining future. 

Naruto made a good Hokage and he only burst into their house in a tizzy a few times. Each time Kakashi managed to talk him through his worries and Naruto left confident. Team Seven was still strong after all these years. Sakura held Naruto’s first child, held Sasuke’s, held Sai’s, and even got hints of one from Yamato and his lovely little merchant wife. Sakura was happy, oh so happy.

And maybe one day Sakura would whisper a surprise into Kakashi’s ear about their growing family and he’d drop the cup in his hand. Her sisters would find them laughing as they spun around the living room and they’d all smile fondly.

The Haruno family is a happy one.

.--.  
.--.

Madame Shiba frowned as her knees creaked when she stood. She was not young of course, but she was not that old yet either she grumbled. She watched Hayato as the girl carefully filled out the ledger; the girl was taking to running the place like a fish did to water and Madame Shiba would be happy when she could finally hand everything over to her and relax more. 

“Mama! Mama!”

“Stop yelling,” Madame Shiba told the girl who bowed her way into the office, “What has you running about so early this morning?”

“There is a man at the door,” the girl told her, “He says he is a doctor.”

“And why is he here?”

“He says he’s here to offer free healing. He says he is a shinobi doctor!”

Madame Shiba furrowed her brow and made for the entrance of the Tantalizing Butterfly, the girl on her heels. When she saw the man waiting in the entrance she had to blink rapidly. 

There was a man with short pink hair and wide green eyes behind round glasses. He was wearing a kimono in neutral blues and carrying a beaten leather doctor’s bag. He smiled and Madame Shiba felt as if the years slide away until she felt like she had lost twenty years.

“Hello,” the man said, “I’d like to offer my services for any healing you might need here.”

“What will it cost?” Madame Shiba asked automatically.

“I don’t need payment,” he told her calmly, the hint of a smile on his lips.

“That’s what the last one said,” she said faintly, “You won’t take one of the girls?”

He looked puzzled as if unsure.

“I don’t need company Madame.”

She stared at him. It was an uncannily resemblance…

“Does your mother have amber eyes?” she found herself asking.

“Ah, no, green,” he said looking quite confused, “My aunt has amber eyes though. Amber eyes and golden hair.”

“Come in then,” she said still staring.

He did so and she stared and stared and stared. She wondered…. 

Well, so many years ago when she’d sold that pretty little thing to the pink haired doctor for a criminally low price, she’d thought maybe he’d had bad intentions despite his help. He’d claimed to be a woman as if to reassure her of his intentions but Madame Shiba knew ninja and their tricks. He was a man under that, no woman would be as comfortable as he in such an outfit, in such a place, with such skills. She’d weighed her options back then of denying the shinobi doctor what he wanted but her first protest of how expensive a girl could be had not turned him or his bland smile away and she’d known that nothing was going to make him leave without the honey-eyed girl. 

So Madame Shiba had done what she’d always done best; she’d sold a girl to man. 

And now… well now she was looking right at that Shinobi Doctor but he was exactly the same as he had been twenty years ago. 

“What’s your name?” she asked faintly as the doctor took his shoes off.

“My name,” he smiled, more friendly than in the past, “Is Haruno Sakumo. Pleased to meet you.”

.--.


End file.
